


The Altruistic Queen

by Omoni



Series: The Empress and The Queen [2]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alphyne-Centric, Alphys the Altruistic, Alphys the Diplomat, Alphys/Undyne-centric, Asgore is everyone's Papa, Canon Gay Relationship, Empress Undyne, Established Alphys/Undyne, F/F, Fluff and Drama, Fluffy Smut, I am a silly romantic old broad and it shows, Lewff, More politics, No outline while writing, POLITIIIIIICS, Politics make people stronger, Queen Alphys, Trigger Warning: past sexual abuse, Undyne the Politician, discussion of past sexual abuse, past sexual abuse implied, sans is a badass punster, sappy romance, shameless romance, unexpected sequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-09-16 00:49:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 50
Words: 122,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9266378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Omoni/pseuds/Omoni
Summary: Following the destruction of the barrier and the beginnings of a new era between humans and monsters, Alphys and Undyne soon realise that their journey has only begun, and that there is so much more to do for the peace and safety of their people. Not everyone wants to see monsters return to the surface, and these people want to make sure that both Undyne and Alphys know.This is a sequel to The Undying Empress, and it SHOULD BE READ ONLY AFTER FINISHING THAT FIC. Otherwise nothing will make sense.





	1. Morning (NSFW)

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the sequel of The Undying Empress! If you have just clicked on this, I must urge you to please press the "back" button and instead begin with The Undying Empress, as this is a direct sequel and will not make sense without it. 
> 
> To those of you who have already read it, welcome! You'll notice, this time, that the chapters will be longer and that they will be mostly from Alphys's POV, whereas the previous was from Undyne's. This one is also written without an outline, so if there are mistakes, please be kind and point them out to me :D. I've capped the chapters at 50 again for now, but that may change depending on how this story goes.
> 
> Also, smut warning in this chapter, but don't skip the rest if you skip the smut, because it's important!
> 
> Otherwise, enjoy!

No matter how many times it happened, whenever Alphys felt herself woken by the sunlight peering through the hotel windows, it would always mystify her.

She was never bothered by it, despite how startling it could be, finding sunlight in your eyes and rendering you partially blind - especially without glasses - but Alphys never cared. She blinked hard and focused on it, loving the feel of it, as it came with a warmth that she never knew growing up.

Deep inside, she felt an additional warmth, and she felt a stirring deep within her chest. She knew it was from the human soul that she had absorbed, responding to the sun itself and adding to her pleasure.

Over the past few weeks, that had been a learning curve, getting used to something within her that was clearly foreign, but that also gave her strength. She often felt it stirring at times, and she wondered about it.

 _Are you still alive in some way, human child?_ she thought sleepily, her hand over her chest and rubbing a little. _Or are you just reacting to my own feelings, and intensifying them simply out of my own emotions?_

The former made her feel a little uncomfortable, as she didn't like the idea of stealing life from a child. It was true that she had, as without the soul, she would be dust. But she also wondered if, as usual, she was overthinking things.

Lately, all she could do was overthink things.

She watched the sunrise for a while from where she was, not wanting to move. She was lying down on her side, in perfect view of the window, and was buried under her usual pile of blankets (they'd had to ask the hotel staff for more, as she needed more, especially as it started to grow colder, and tended not to share with Undyne).

Despite being a blanket-monster, Undyne had still wrapped herself around her tightly in her sleep, herself covered in only one blanket, despite being naked (Undyne always slept naked); as a result, she became the best blanket of the bunch. 

By the time the sun had fully crested in the sky, Alphys was feeling a little sleepy again, so she curled up and closed her eyes. At that moment, however, she felt Undyne shift closer to her and sigh deeply, her hands going around Alphys and holding tight. Alphys immediately woke up again and smiled, but kept her eyes closed.

"Mm," Undyne murmured, shifting closer and burying her face under the blankets and into the back of Alphys's neck, making her both shiver and giggle. "Morning, cutie."

Alphys blushed but shifted backwards, unable to resist.

Of all of the things that had been unbelievable in the past few weeks, _this_ was one of them that she still had trouble accepting as real: the fact that Undyne was not only her lover, but her fiancée.

Undyne loved her, to a degree that she only dreamt of, and Alphys was amazed every single day she was reminded of that.

She carefully turned around so that she could face Undyne, and the moment she did, Undyne's eye was open and she was grinning at her. The glittering, bright green colour of Undyne's eye was something Alphys had gotten used to, but she still found it mesmerising to see.

It, and the black streaks that touched her cheeks, were the only visible sign of what she now was: a monster carrying six human souls, one of unmatched and unbridled power. Granted, that power had been reduced a significant deal when she gave up one soul - the seventh, the one that made her equivalent to a god - to Alphys, but that didn't mean Undyne was powerless. She was still incredibly powerful, and - if it happened - incredibly dangerous.

But this woman in front of Alphys now was anything but dangerous. The grin she wore was silly, and the way her eye shone was mischievous.

Alphys smiled in return, shifting the blankets so that she could open her arms and bring Undyne beneath them with her. Undyne scooted forward and slipped her arms around Alphys's waist, and they both felt a jittery jolt at the same time the moment their skin touched, making them both laugh a little but hold on tight. Alphys buried her face into Undyne's shoulder, and Undyne rested her chin atop her head.

"Hi," Alphys whispered, her legs tangling with Undyne's affectionately.

"How are you?" Undyne wondered softly.

"I'm good," she admitted.

It was true. Things were still challenging at the moment, but compared to how things had started, it was a cake-walk.

"I'm..." She blushed deeper, trying to hide her face more. "I'm always good when... I wake up with you..."

She was always shy when she admitted things like this, a dream in itself to be able to do so without dissolving into a mess of sweat and nerves. Her ease with Undyne had increased a great deal and in such a short time that it amazed her, but she didn't want it any other way.

With Undyne, she felt brave.

The closer they got, the more she wanted to say, and the more silly and sappy those things were, but she knew Undyne didn't mind. If anything, Undyne found them wonderful, which made her happier.

This was proven even more when Undyne leaned down and kissed her in reply, right on the lips, her strong arms going around her tighter and pulling her closer, so that their bodies had no space between them. Alphys closed her eyes and clung to her, returning the kiss gently at first, her heart racing.

Every single time they kissed, Alphys felt as if she were dreaming. And yet she knew it was real, knew it was happening, and felt even happier for it.

This was made even more evident when Undyne pulled her free from her blanket nest and brought her on top of her, deepening the kiss in order to lick Alphys's lips apart. Alphys melted in her arms, her own arms going around Undyne's neck and her hands tangling in her hair, as she slipped her tongue out to meet Undyne's. They both sighed at this, feeling a spike of desire hit.

"Undyne," Alphys whispered hesitantly, between kisses, as Undyne kept pulling her back. "W-we need to... get up soon. Th-there's a meeting, re-remember?"

"Shh," Undyne answered gently, reaching down and sliding her palms over Alphys's legs, parting them and shifting them along with hers. "We have time. We always have time for this."

Alphys nodded; when it came to Undyne, she could never say no. Or rather, she could, but she didn't want to.

With a racing heart and her blood slowly igniting, she pressed down closer and kissed Undyne deeply again, and Undyne did something that made her knees weak: she made a soft, long sound of desire. It was all Alphys needed, really, to feel brave, and she shifted, reaching down and adjusting her legs.

Undyne opened her eye and looked up at her, her eye blazing, and the moment there was no distance between them and their bodies touched, that eye closed and she broke from the kiss, tilting her head back and sighing in relief.

Whenever they touched, vulva to vulva, even if just for the briefest of moments, it sent them both into such an instant haze that neither - even Alphys, one who always thought - could even think of anything else but each other. Neither cared, though; that was exactly how they wanted it.

"Alphy," Undyne whispered. Alphys buried her face, hot with need, into Undyne's shoulder and nodded. "Please? Take me?"

Alphys swallowed, shutting her eyes tight. She moved closer, one hand grabbing onto Undyne's and pinning it to the bed, the other still tangled in her hair (she couldn't get it loose but was too embarrassed to say anything), then pushed down her hips and started to grind against Undyne's, feeling a slow hum of pleasure fill her as she did. Undyne bit her lip, but she still moaned, anyway, and that sound filled Alphys with desire so potent that suddenly, there was nothing else in the world but them.

They moved slow, in lazy shifts and thrusts of their hips against each other, feeling their flesh grow wetter and hotter with each stroke. It was the kind of lovemaking that only comes with early mornings, a kind that has no rush, no haste, and all focus on the act itself.

When Alphys opened her eyes and looked down at Undyne, she found her looking back already, her bright green eye dark from desire. Alphys stared at her, spellbound by this, though she didn't even pause in her actions. She held onto Undyne's hand tighter, her tail hooking around one of Undyne's legs; she loved doing that, though she could never fully explain why. To her, it was just another way she could show how much Undyne meant to her.

"Alphy," Undyne then whispered, her teeth bared a little and her arm around Alphys's waist tight.

Alphys nodded, and she added, "You... _ah..._ there's nothing like this, Alphy... nothing... I just... I just..." She trailed off, her eye squeezing closed, and she pushed her hips up against Alphys's, causing them both to feel a jolt and cry out.

This was true, as sex was incredibly different, now. They'd only been together this way a few days before everything changed.

With Alphys's soul now merged with a human one - and one of the ones Undyne had absorbed, no less - there was a connection between them, one that took their breaths away. They felt it every time they touched, true, but they felt it powerfully whenever they made love. There was something magical in the way they connected through this, and as a result, it made them both feel closer - and everything else more intense.

"I-I..." Alphys tried to answer, her voice choked. She was close, and it was obvious, especially to Undyne, who, by now, knew her fiancee's signals very well. "Oh, god, Undyne... I f-feel... _you_... I j-just feel you... _a-all_ of... y-you... all..."

She cried out, arching back and digging her claws into Undyne's hand (though luckily not into her scalp). _"Un-Undyne...! I'm...!"_

Undyne gasped, then, her eye flaring open and her body writhing beneath Alphys's. "M-me... me, too, don't stop, _don't stop, Alphy...!"_

Alphys leaned down and kissed her desperately, unable to keep herself from groaning out as she felt her orgasm not only fill her, but in such a slow, sweet way that took her breath away - literally. She felt Undyne hold onto her tighter and keen out, her voice breaking as she came, and when her orgasm hit, Alphys actually collapsed onto Undyne, breathless and voiceless for a moment from the intensity of it.

Then, likely due to the time of day and the lingering fatigue, Alphys blacked out.

Undyne noticed and grabbed her quickly before she could fall over, her breath hitching, but still dazed and reeling from her own climax. She held Alphys close, catching her breath, and soon, Alphys stirred back awake, feeling confused and exhausted, but also incredibly elated.

This had started to happen almost immediately after Alphys had been given the human soul. There was something that happened within her when she had an orgasm, within them both, really. All she could describe it as was it was like their souls touched, and it was so powerful that it shorted her out and made her black out for a moment.

Undyne, by now, knew, and also knew how to cope, which was why she didn't panic when it happened - especially since, no matter what, now, they climaxed together. (The first time Alphys blacked out, Undyne certainly panicked, however; that should be said.)

For a moment, neither woman could move, both shaking and coming down, their breaths quick and coupled with small, hoarse mewls or cries.

Then, Alphys raised her head and kissed Undyne, letting go of her hand to cup it around her face, feeling so overwhelmed and so full of love that she teared up, starting to cry almost the moment their lips met. Undyne held her close and returned it, feeling tears of her own, and for a bittersweet moment, they held each other and had a small little weep, shivering a little.

"Ah," Undyne whispered when she could, kissing Alphys on the top of her head. "I _love_ this... I love _you_..."

Alphys sobbed a little, not meaning to but unable to hold back. "M-me, too, with you," she squeaked out. "S-so much, Undyne..."

Undyne smiled kindly, holding her close. Alphys clung onto her, and for a long moment, they cuddled, drifting into a kind of half-sleep as their tears dried and their shakes calmed.

Then, despite not really wanting to, Alphys said, "W-we should p-probably get up, n-now..."

Undyne growled and shook her head, squeezing Alphys and making her giggle. "No. Don't want to. Lemme stay in my Alphy-nest."

Alphys burst into laughter, burying her face into Undyne's chest, between her breasts, which in turn made Undyne laugh.

Despite this, they both knew it to be the truth, and slowly, hesitantly, Alphys sat up and slid off of Undyne, sitting to the side and rubbing her eyes slowly. Undyne sat up and stretched out, making squeaking noises as she did, and Alphys watched her with a smile and a faint blush.

By now, they were very rarely shy around each other - they'd been through far too much to be otherwise - and one of the simplest things that Alphys loved about this was how casual Undyne was about her body. She admired that, and hoped that someday, she, too, could be that way around Undyne.

"What's on the agenda today?" Undyne wondered with a yawn.

Once Alphys finished her yawn, she replied, "Meeting with everyone at City Hall, remember? We're going to meet the other mayors, today."

Undyne's arms dropped and she made a face. "Oh, great," she muttered, raising a hand and twirling a finger around in mock-enthusiasm.

Alphys had to agree with this sentiment. She was nervous about meeting the other mayors. Apparently, Ebott was only one part of what the humans called a "megacity", which meant that each part of the megacity was also a city, and had its own mayor.

Over _these_ mayors was one reigning mayor, one with the title of "Mega-Mayor", which always made Undyne laugh when she heard it; it sounded like the name of a lame superhero. Besides the mayor of Ebott, their ally Mayor Cathy Awad, there were four others like her. It was time for them to meet Undyne and Alphys, and from there, they would meet the head-mayor - if things went well.

This was one of many first steps towards what Undyne strove for, and that was for monsters to come to the surface at last. It had been almost three weeks, and finally they were going to meet the other mayors. This was an important step, but one that both were dreading, because it meant a strain on both of their tempers.

"Well," Undyne said, a glint to her eye, "at least, whatever happens, we can say the day started good. Right, my love?"

Alphys beamed at her in reply, and she laughed and kissed her.

Undyne was indeed right - and later hated it.


	2. Meeting

"Good morning, Darlings," Mettaton greeted them with a smile. He was still in his humanoid form, looking immaculate despite being on the surface almost as long as them. This was thanks both to Alphys keeping an eye on his maintenance, as well as his staying in the adjacent suite to theirs - which meant free electricity to charge with at any time.

Alphys smiled at him, and Undyne smirked. While Undyne wore her Empress robes (that were finally cleaned; it took hours to try and clean them in the hotel, and when Laurel found out, she took them and washed them at her house in her washing machine, which did the trick), Alphys wore black slacks and her best shirt, one that Mettaton, himself, had picked out: it was dark green and V-necked, with elbow-length sleeves and a kind of material that looked loose while still flattering.

She liked it fine, especially if she put her labcoat over it, but she would always miss her favourite dress; it had been ruined when she'd been shot, and not even Laurel's washing machine could get the bloodstains out.

"Ah!" Mettaton grabbed Alphys's hands, shocking her back into reality. "You're wearing the shirt! You look gorgeous, my dear!"

She went crimson, especially when he grabbed her and hugged her tight, so tight that he lifted her off her feet in his glee, wiggling her a little. All she could do was squeak at this.

"Diva," Undyne growled, tapping her finger on his shoulder. "Stop manhandling my fiancée, please."

He pouted and paused. "But she's so pretty!"

"You think I don't know that?" she answered, raising her eyebrows.

"Stop!" Alphys finally managed to get out. "I'm not pretty, please put me down, I'm having trouble breathing!"

Mettaton immediately let her go, and she coughed, a hand to her chest.

"You hug way too hard!" she added, glaring at him.

"I hug from love!" he replied, tossing his hair back from his eyes with a grin. "Are you both ready? We get to see the mayors today!"

"We?" Undyne snorted. "Mettaton, we're bringing you along for support, not to actually talk to anyone."

"But I'm so suave, oh petulant empress."

"Never use that word again," she answered, making him pout.

Then he paused. "Which word?"

Undyne eyed him for a moment, then said, "Whichever one you're thinking, stop it."

Mettaton glared at her. "I think we hang out too much. You're getting too clever for me."

Undyne returned the glare and opened her mouth, but Alphys jumped in between them and said, "A-anyway, c-can we get going? We don't want to be late!"

This was true, so they called a temporary truce and headed out.

* * *

The first thing that happened when they got there was an assault on their eyesight: cameras, dozens of cameras flashing in their direction as they got out of the city car and headed towards City Hall.

Undyne tried her best to ignore them, but it was clear she was failing when she pulled Alphys to her and held her under her arm, not once letting go. Alphys understood; she would be lying if she didn't admit to feeling comforted and protected by this. She also moved closer to Undyne, slipping an arm around her slim waist and keeping close.

Mettaton walked behind them, posing for the cameras, true, but not in his usual way. Rather, it was clear to both Undyne and Alphys that it did it to distract the humans from them, and keep all focus on him, instead. He did this every time they went out and there was press, and every time it turned out to be a great thing, as he truly did keep the humans from taking too many pictures of them.

Alphys hated it. She hated that the simple act of walking to City Hall caused such an uproar amongst the humans. Granted, it had only been three weeks, so of course they were still quite the novelty to the humans, but it still bothered her. She especially didn't like it, because she worried about Undyne, who always developed a twitch to her eye if it lasted too long.

She was so glad that Mettaton was with them, despite the teasing they gave him. She would make sure to tell him, later.

Once they were finally inside, Undyne turned around, scowled at the crowd, held up her hand, and gave them the pearl.

Alphys squeaked and grabbed her hand, covering it with her own before anyone could see it - or take pictures of it - but Undyne seemed satisfied, anyway, and she smiled. Instead, she grabbed Alphys's hand and held it, then looked down at her with that same smile, something she couldn't resist returning.

"Well, that was fun," Mettaton confessed with a wide grin.

Undyne glared at him, and he laughed in reply. "Just shut up and go sit down, you stupid blowdryer."

He made a mock-bow at her. "Yes, oh esteemed Empress of salt."

She took a swing at him, but he was took quick, and she missed. He laughed all the way to the main meeting hall, something they heard, even when the doors closed behind him.

Undyne exchanged a look with Alphys, who smiled. She couldn't explain Mettaton's excitement for things like this, because she didn't understand it, herself. She pegged it down to his being happy to get the attention and the media coverage, as he certainly got both. The humans adored him, and especially found it wonderful when they discovered he came with his own product line.

"Shall we?" Undyne then said, holding out her arm.

Alphys nodded and took it, and together, they went to the other entrance, the one that would bring them to the front of the house, and not to the seats.

* * *

Asgore was already there, but sans was not. When asked, Asgore explained that sans had "something-or-other" to do Underground and wouldn't be able to make it. Undyne shrugged it off, but Alphys filed it away for later; it was unusual for sans to miss something like this, after all.

What could be more important than this?

Alphys decided to ask later, instead focusing on the here-and-now.

Now, the mayors.

They were a formidable bunch, even with Cathy sitting with them. But then, Cathy was also formidable; she was only less so because the monsters had had the time to get to know her.

These other mayors, well... They were intimidating, at least for Alphys.

Undyne, however, looked them over calmly, one eyebrow rising higher and higher with each one. Alphys was far more nervous with her assessment, and tried to keep it as covert as possible, just in case they saw her looking.

The first one was male, with light brown skin and very long black hair tied in a shiny plait. He was thin, slightly muscular, and had a kind face, though at the moment he looked very sombre.

The second one was also male, with darker brown skin and very shot curly grey-black hair, with a moustache, and he was a little heavyset but carried it well.

The third was female, with a lighter brown skin and straight black hair to her chin, and she was tall and plump, with glasses.

The last was female, too, and she had honey-coloured skin, her hair covered by a brightly-coloured headscarf, and she was small, like Cathy.

All five of them together made Alphys think of a wall of strong wills, one that would be almost impossible to even make a dent in, and she suddenly feared they would fail in front of them.

All four of the mayors looked at Alphys and Undyne in surprise; clearly, seeing them online or on TV was far different than seeing them in person. It was clear that they were not human - especially Alphys - and were monsters. The realisation seemed to dawn on all four, though Cathy spared them a moment and gave them a tiny smile, one that vanished the moment one of her co-workers caught sight of it.

Laurel was seated with Asgore in front of the mayors, and it was clear that that was where Undyne and Alphys were supposed to sit, too. Together, holding hands, they walked over and sat beside Asgore, and Laurel gave them a warm smile, while Asgore touched each of their hands in greeting and also smiled at them. These gestures helped Alphys calm down a great deal, it must be said.

"Welcome, Empress Undyne, and you, Doctor Alphys," Cathy began, and immediately everyone went quiet. "Now that you're here, we can begin."

She paused, then looked directly at Undyne. "I have given everyone here a copy of the Papyrus Pact, and they have all had the time to read it over and ruminate over it. Now, one by one, they will give you their opinion, and we will go from those suggestions and move forward."

She looked to the first mayor, the man with the long braid. "Mayor Tagaq?"

The man nodded without smiling, sitting up and adjusting a few pieces of papers in front of him. He looked at Undyne for a moment, then at Alphys, before looking at Laurel - then finally back to Undyne, which pleased her.

"First of all, welcome to the surface," Mayor Tagaq said, his voice pleasant and kind. "Though Ebott may be used to tales of you living underground, we certainly weren't, and we found it a surprise. However, you are here, now, and you are asking for the right to remain here, something that has been denied to you for the sole reason of being monsters, and for reasons that occurred long before any of us in this room were even born."

Asgore coughed at this; he was the only one old enough to remember those times.

"Ah, except you, King Asgore," Tagaq added hastily.

"Please," he replied gently, holding a hand up. "Just Asgore. Or, if you must, Lord Asgore."

"Sorry, thank you." The human cleared his throat, then went on. "I read over your proposal, Empress," he said, looking at Undyne again. "And I honestly have to say, it's reasonable. It's very reasonable. I wouldn't hesitate to approve it. You have my vote."

Cathy stared at him in shock; clearly she hadn't been anticipating that at all. She quickly hid the look, but he'd seen it, and shot her a smirk that he also had to quickly hide.

None of this was lost on the monsters, however, and both Alphys and Undyne exchanged a look of amusement.

"Thank you. How about you, Mayor Frankson?" Cathy asked the second man, the one with the moustache.

He cleared his throat, raising his bushy eyebrows. "Well," he said, his voice slow and relaxed. "A great deal of what you say in this Pact of yours, it's not so bad. But what you're asking for will take at least a year, and that's being as optimistic as I can be. I want to say yes, with a but, and that but is: be realistic when it comes to time, Empress. You can't expect this sort of thing to happen in a year. Not completely, anyway."

Undyne's cheeks went pink, but she nodded.

He smiled at her, then. "You're young, but you've got guts, and I really like that. I think you're going to be fun to work with."

Cathy stared at him, her face red, now. "Um," she stammered, before she got a hold of herself. "Thank you, Mayor Frankson."

Undyne's hand tightened around Alphys's. She couldn't help it. This was a lot better than she'd ever planned, even hoped for. Alphys smiled at her and squeezed back, and she relaxed a little, though her eye stayed on the people before her.

"Mayor Ng?" Cathy said next.

Mayor Ng sighed, leaning back. Of them all, she was clearly the youngest, and it showed. "You know, when I heard about this, and you, Empress, I was confused. I was so sure this was just a joke that some film industry had thrown at us to promote some new sci-fi movie. But then I actually saw you, saw you for real - and that was when your girlfriend got shot."

Undyne bit her lip, but she didn't interrupt. Alphys blushed and looked down, but she also kept silent.

"You were real to me, then, because you were showing real emotion. You reacted in a way a real person would. You clearly cared about the people around you, and wanted to make sure that we understood, and cared, too."

Ng adjusted her glasses a little. "I was going to say no before I saw that, Empress; I'll just be honest with you. But now, it's a yes. It's a huge yes." She smiled to emphasise this.

Undyne relaxed again, nodding. She smiled in return.

"And finally, Mayor Radi?"

Mayor Radi smiled. "I think it's obvious where I stand," she replied. "But in case it is not, I'm familiar with being a social pariah, especially in this day and age. I will fight for anyone who suffers the same fate, especially unjustly. It's why I became mayor. You have my support, Empress."

"What the hell?" Cathy blurted out, before covering her mouth and blushing.

Then, she narrowed her eyes and said, "Wait, no, all four of you gave me such a hard time when I came forward with this! All four of you, especially _you,_ Frankson! Why are you now all of a sudden so on board? What changed?"

"I cannot speak for everyone," Radi said, "but for me, it was for similar reasons as Mayor Ng: the shooting. The Empress showed emotion that was real, and I could not ignore that. We were all raised to believe monsters were unfeeling and only cared for death and destruction, no? Regardless of our backgrounds. But in that moment, we saw a monster weep, mourn, and beg for mercy."

The other three were nodding sombrely, and Frankson added, "Don't call me out, Awad, it's _rude._ I said it was unlikely that monsters could be civil no matter what. I've already eaten those words with a side of relish."

Undyne was frozen, now, her eye wide and her mouth open. She blurted out, "No, it can't be that easy, can it?"

And to her further confusion, that was greeted with gentle laughter, even from Asgore, who put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently.

"Apparently, my daughter," he said softly. "It can."


	3. Roles

"Here's the problem," Frankson said, breaking both Undyne and Alphys from their mutual reverie. "We're not the only ones you have to convince, here. There's one more person you need to talk to, and I'm pretty sure she's not going to be an easy nut to crack."

The other three nodded, though Cathy looked annoyed by this reminder.

"How do you propose we address the... what was it?" Asgore hesitated. "The Mega-Mayor?"

Ng snorted a little, then blushed. Radi gave her a sharp look, but Tagaq looked away and up at the ceiling, his lips twitching. Frankson looked at all three with a long-suffering look, while Cathy sighed.

"You can refer to her as Mayor McCallion," Frankson said. "As the title is, truly, a little silly, despite it being legitimate and true. And she takes it immensely seriously, too."

Undyne winced a little. "How hard is it gonna be?" she wondered. "I mean, Ca--uh--Mayor Awad told us that it would be hard to convince the four of you, and yet all four of you are happy to help. Is it likely that maybe she'd be the same way?"

This time, all of them, save Cathy and Frankson, laughed for real.

It annoyed Undyne, who narrowed her eye, and made both Asgore and Alphys flinch. Laurel blushed and looked down at her hands, her fingers fussing with her bracelet.

"As you could probably surmise from that mature answer," Cathy said, raising an eyebrow, "no, it won't be easy. But we _will_ try, Empress. And we'll try our best." She glared at her peers. "Won't we?"

"Oh, definitely," Ng replied with a smile, and the others laughed.

Once they calmed, Asgore broke in. "Well, what do you propose we do, while we wait for approval to see Mayor McCallion?"

"Let us handle getting a hold of her," Cathy replied. "If the five of us contact her as one and send her the Papyrus Pact, then she _has_ to listen. She can ignore me all she wants, but the five of us?"

"Especially Tagaq," Ng giggled. "She _loves_ you, Tagaq."

"I don't even know why," he sighed, adjusting his braid a little. "Everything I say opposes her old-school ways. Plus, you know, she's white. Our goals tend to be different, after all."

Alphys blushed, confused. "I... white?" she echoed, her voice soft. "I-I don't really understand that. Wh-what do you mean by white? What does that have to do with anything?"

All five mayors looked at her in surprise, while Laurel blushed so red she hid her face behind her hands.

"I can explain it to you later," Laurel told them behind her hands. "It's stupid, believe me, but it's true."

"Either way, she likes you best," Frankson said to Tagaq, who sighed and looked like he wanted to disappear. "It would be best if you probably helmed the email from all of us."

Radi looked thoughtful for a moment, before looking right at Alphys. Her expression was almost vulnerable in its honestly - something rare to see on a politician. "

You truly don't understand what we mean by 'white'?" she asked softly.

Alphys went redder than Laurel, feeling stupid. "I... I-I... I'm sorry!" she squeaked out.

Undyne touched her shoulder gently and rubbed it, and she lowered her head, unable to speak anymore.

"We don't," Undyne agreed. "I mean, we were raised on your media, and we know humans come in a bunch of different shades, but we've never seen white before. We've seen a lot of pink, though."

"Oh, sweet heavens," Radi replied, her eyes wide. "This is... kind of wonderful, don't you think? Monsters have a lot to teach us, don't they? And clearly, they're diverse. I mean, look at the Empress and her consort."

Asgore was silent, his face carefully blank.

Undyne eyed him closely for a moment, and she had the inkling that he knew exactly what the humans were talking about.

"What did you say about me and Alphy?" Undyne wondered, her voice a little sharp.

"Empress, trust me: nothing bad," Cathy replied with a kind smile. "Laurel will explain it to you... as will Lord Asgore, I think." She raised an eyebrow at him, and he nodded. "For now, if you please, allow us time to deliberate and agree on an approach to Mayor McCallion."

"O-oh," Alphys nodded, as Laurel got to her feet. She followed suit, and soon so did Asgore and Undyne.

Asgore bowed to them, as did Laurel, but Undyne merely nodded. Alphys was too flustered, and she actually curtsied - which made everyone smile (and Ng laugh again, but not in a mean way; Mettaton, however, snorted from the seats, and she blushed even redder and tried to hide behind Undyne).

"Laurel," Cathy said, and the Minister looked up. "I'll contact you the moment I find anything out."

"Please," she agreed. "And you four, please do the same if you have any questions regarding the Underground and my work."

When they nodded, she and the others filed out.

* * *

 They met Mettaton outside of the room; he looked elated, as if his latest album went platinum.

 _"You curtsied!"_ he said immediately, grabbing Alphys into a hug and lifting her off of her feet again, making her sigh and shut her eyes; he squeezed _hard_.

"I know," she whined, feeling a sinking in her stomach. "I'm such a loser."

Undyne came forward and extracted Alphys from Mettaton with a glare. "First of all, Mettaton, go pound sand."

"I can't, darling; it'll mess up my joints."

"Second of all, Alphy," she continued, ignoring him. She still held Alphys off her feet, and Alphys slipped her arms around her neck to hold on. She looked up at Undyne and blushed again, but Undyne kissed the tip of her nose and smiled. "You're fine. You were polite, and you were also panicked. If that's the least you do, then I'm gonna have a great wife at my side."

Alphys buried her face into Undyne's neck with a squeak, clinging onto her tight, now and forgetting there were others around them. Undyne always knew exactly what to say, even when everyone knew she had done something embarrassing and stupid.

"I love you," she whispered, digging her claws into Undyne's back, and Undyne laughed softly, holding her close.

Asgore then cleared his throat. "My dears," he said softly. "We still have things to do."

Both Undyne and Alphys looked up, but Undyne didn't let go of Alphys, not even a little.

"Like what, Dad?" Undyne wondered.

She'd been saying this more often, lately, and often without any hesitation. When Alphys asked her, she explained that now that Asgore was back in her life, she wasn't going to let him go out of it without a fight. She thought of him as a father-figure, and she wanted to make sure he knew it, too.

He smiled, like he always did when she called him that. "Well, Laurel and I have much to explain to you about one of the major conflicts that humans face, and that I think you need to know about before we proceed. I think it will help you understand humans better."

Laurel went red, but nodded, looking saddened by the prospect.

"And then what?" Undyne wondered, adjusting Alphys more comfortably in her arms - something Alphys rather liked, though she wondered if she should be more self-conscious about.

Laurel then lit right up, her blush turned to one of pleasure. "I have a surprise for you, one I've been holding in all day. I've only told Lord Asgore--,"

"Laurel, dear, do just call me Asgore."

"--er, right, okay. But yes, it's _so_ important!" She even bounced a little.

Mettaton eyed her closely, a frown on his lips and his arms crossed. He had an inkling, and he felt torn about it. He looked over at Alphys for a moment, and if anyone had noticed or seen it, they would have seen a very deep look of... _something,_ coupled with regret.

He hoped he was wrong, but for purely selfish reasons.

He wasn't.

"Okay. Let's go to the hotel, then. We can hang out there, since hanging out anywhere else would mean stupid fucking cameras in our damned faces," Undyne suggested.

"M-may I walk, please?" Alphys wondered, only halfheartedly, it was true.

"No," Undyne replied with a grin, and Alphys shrugged and rested her head on her chest, closing her eyes.

While Undyne did it often - picking her up and holding her close like this - Alphys liked it, and was growing used to, to a point that she felt very comfortable, despite how silly it was.

"Alright," Laurel said, practically bouncing, now. "Let's go!"

* * *

After an annoying trip back to the hotel, one that involved more cameras than they cared to admit, they all sat down - once Alphys got everyone drinks, something that made Undyne smile affectionately - and Laurel finally explained what they were talking about when they meant "white".

By the end, everyone but her and Asgore were confused.

"That's..." Mettaton said, his expression sour.

"...really fucking _stupid,"_ Undyne finished, her voice just as sour.

Alphys chewed on her lip for a moment, her eyes narrowed. "It explains a lot of the things I never understood when watching some of the programs on TV," she admitted. "I never really got it until now. I... I think I liked it better when I didn't understand."

Laurel was scarlet, looking like she wanted to hide under the couch. "Humans are kind of... complicated," she said softly. "We're... kind of stupid when it comes to things like this. We're doing our best, and things have gotten much, much better than they were, but yes, we still come across problems like that."

"Is Mayor McCallion a... what did you call it? A racist?" Mettaton wondered.

"Well, no, not really," Laurel said, playing with her bracelet. "She's just old-fashioned, and sometimes things that could be construed as racist, or at least borderline-racist, come out of her mouth. She always apologises after, but she still does it. She's in her eighties, so that's bound to happen. It's mean to say, I know, but those of her generation tend to be a little tactless."

Asgore sighed. "I knew about this, because I saw it when I was still on the surface. Humans, even back then, had the habit of dividing themselves by colour. As monsters, of course it was none of our business, but it was still awkward."

"You're _pink,"_ Undyne said flatly, holding up a hand. "Where does _white_ come from?"

"It's a long and stupid history lesson that I do not want to get into anymore," Laurel admitted. "Let's go to something more happy." She sat up and smiled, her eyes going right to Alphys and Undyne. "I have some really good news for both of you."

Alphys blinked, and Undyne grinned. "I like good news, especially if it's for both me and Alphy," she said. "Spill."

"Before you do," Mettaton said suddenly, his expression strangely thoughtful. "May I ask you something, Minister?"

When she nodded, he went on.

"Is it likely that the big mayor will be... racist... towards us? As monsters?"

His words brought on a small silence, as clearly this was something neither of them had thought about - save Laurel, who looked regretful.

"It's possible," she admitted. "Unfortunately, it's very possible. Though I don't think she'll be cruel, I do think she may let some comments slip that will be offensive to you. Keep in mind, she's older, and old-school, and old-fashioned, and really not big on change. There's a chance she will likely say some things that she will probably regret later when it comes to you."

Undyne narrowed her eye. "And should we take those comments as hostile?"

"No," Laurel said immediately. "Not unless they sound hostile. She may bandy about the word 'monster' at you, instead of 'person', and she may say things careless like that. But ultimately, she still is a good politician, and I think she'll have a little tact."

Asgore coughed. "A good _politician_ doesn't necessarily mean a good _person,_ dear Laurel."

"And I agree with you on that completely," Laurel said with a wry smile. "I just... think we should all prepare to take whatever she says with a grain of salt, and remember that she is what she is, and won't change."

"Well, Undyne is the Empress of salt, so that will be easy," Mettaton said with a smirk.

Undyne glowered at him, but as he was on the couch and she was on the chair with Alphys, all she could do was that, and he looked triumphant.

That is, until a small blue spear appeared above his head and stopped just centimetres away from his forehead. He froze, his eyes on it and wide, and she grinned maniacally.

Alphys, however, placed a hand on hers, and said, "Please don't murder him, love. We do need him."

Undyne sighed and let the spear vanish, and Mettaton relaxed. "Fine," she said, "but only because _you_ asked me, Alphy - and so sweetly, too." Which earned her a smile.

"So, Laurel, you said you had good news for us?" Asgore broke in. "That would be lovely. What is it?"

Laurel lit up again, her hands clenching together in excitement. "You two want to get married on the surface, right?" she asked Alphys and Undyne.

Both blushed, but Undyne nodded with a wide grin.

"Well, then," Laurel replied, beaming. "How would you like to get married, today?"


	4. Hesitate

"Wh-what?" Alphys squeaked.

Undyne, however, grabbed hold of Alphys and stood up, adjusting her so that she was held - on purpose, she was sure - bridal-style.

"Fuck yeah, let's go, when do we go?!" she replied, her voice loud with excitement.

"W-wait--," Alphys squeaked in reply, putting her hands on Undyne's shoulders.

Mettaton stared at both of them in disbelief. "You're joking, right?" he said flatly, turning then to look at Laurel. "That's a joke, right?"

Laurel was beaming. She shook her head. "Nope. I talked to a few people, pulled some strings, and managed to find a few loopholes in the law."

She looked back at Undyne and Alphys. "I can have you married before the sun goes down. It'll be an elopement, true, but it's marriage." She paused, her voice softening. "And I know you've been wanting to."

Undyne nodded, her grin so wide she was showing most of her sharp teeth. "Fuck yeah!" she repeated.

"N-no," Alphys said sharply, her eyes narrowed.

Needless to say, it surprised everyone around her, especially Undyne. She looked down at Alphys, still in her arms, her smile twitching a little.

"What do you mean, no, Alphy?" she asked carefully. "You want to marry me, right?"

"Yes," Alphys agreed without hesitation, though her expression didn't change.

"So what are you saying no, for?"

Alphys grabbed hold of Undyne's forearms and used them to slide out of her arms and back onto the floor. Undyne's face fell immediately, though Alphys grabbed hold of her hands and held them tight. She moved close to Undyne and stood on her tiptoes, so that she could be as close to her face as possible.

"Undyne," she whispered, "I want to marry you, yes. But..." She flinched a little. "I-I don't want it to be some rush in the dark. I-I want our friends to be there. I w-want to be able to celebrate our love with th-the people we love."

She looked miserable when she spoke - because she was. To add to it, her eyes filled with tears, and she lowered down onto her feet and looked down, letting go of Undyne's shoulders.

"I'm s-so sorry, Undyne... I-I want to... I w-want to... s-so much... so-so damned much, y-you have no idea... b-but..."

And she broke down, covering her face and wishing the ground would swallow her up beneath her.

Mettaton got up, but Undyne surprised him. She knelt down in front of Alphys and grabbed her into a tight hug, holding onto her with both a firm grip but a tenderness that only she could convey. Alphys immediately clung onto her and started sobbing, and Undyne kissed her wet cheek gently, closing her eye and rocking them both slowly.

Laurel looked upset. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I didn't mean to... I was just..."

Asgore placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "We know, my dear, and they do, too. Let them go through it." He kept his voice soft, as well.

"Shouldn't we go?" Mettaton said.

"Could you?" Undyne said suddenly, looking up. "We need a moment. Can you come back later? Sorry, Laurel, it's just..."

"Yes," Laurel agreed, and together, with Asgore and Mettaton, they filed out, Mettaton inviting them to his suite in the hotel, inviting the couple to join them when they could.

Undyne barely nodded, and once the door was closed, she closed her eye and held Alphys closer as she cried.

"I'm so sorry," Alphys sobbed, her voice high-pitched and choked. "I d-didn't m-mean to... I didn't m-mean to..."

"Shh," Undyne answered, kissing her other cheek and rubbing her back slowly. "I know, it's okay. Alphy, it's alright."

"Pl-please, Undyne," she begged, her stomach in knots, now.

She knew she'd just ruined everything, and now it was probably all over; they would only stay around each other out of convenience, and maybe some day they could be friends again...

"Why are you pleading with me?" Undyne murmured, one hand going up and brushing the tears away gently, even as more came.

Alphys dug her claws into Undyne's back, starting to tremble. "Pl-please, Undyne... d-don't..."

Undyne blinked in surprise. "Alphy, you _are_ pleading with me. Why?"

She pulled back and cupped Alphys's face between her hands, using her thumbs to brush more tears away. It didn't work; Alphys kept crying, her face crumpled and a mess.

"Oh, god, Alphy, do you think I'm going to break up with you over this?!"

When Alphys closed her eyes and nodded, unable to speak, Undyne bit her lip and pulled her back, and Alphys buried her face into the crook of her neck.

"Alphy," Undyne said softly, after a moment and during a lull in Alphys's tears. "I'm not fucking going anywhere."

Alphys jumped a little, then pulled away and looked up at her in surprise and confusion. "B-but... I said... I s-said n-no."

"To _eloping,"_ Undyne said, grabbing hold of her face again and smiling. "Not to marrying me. Right?"

When Alphys nodded emphatically, Undyne grinned. "See? We're still gonna get married, Alphy. But if you want to have a wedding with all of our friends and family, the ones left, then, fuck yeah, Alphy!"

Alphys stared at her. "R-really, Undyne?"

"Yes!" Undyne agreed, shaking her a little. "But..." She bit her lip, then blurted it out, "Can we compromise, Alphy?"

"How do you mean?" Alphys wondered, her heart slowing down a little.

"We..." Undyne blushed. "We still elope. We get married. But then, when we can, we throw a wedding, a _huge_ party, complete with a mock-ceremony, for all of the people we love, just like you said."

Alphys blinked at her, thinking about it. She searched Undyne's face, seeing a kind of desperation there, one she hadn't realised had been there for a while, now.

And suddenly, she understood why it was there, and why this was so important to Undyne.

With slightly shaky fingers, Alphys touched Undyne's face and traced her fingertips along the lines of black slowly.

"You're afraid," she murmured, and Undyne's eye wavered. "You're afraid of losing me."

Undyne opened her mouth, then closed it, her face falling. Silently, she nodded, her grip on Alphys tightening as her teeth sank down into her bottom lip for a moment.

Then, she said, "I lost you once, Alphy. I'll be damned before I lose you, again. Marry me, please, Alphy. Be my wife. I promise, I'll make it worth it to you. I'll be loyal, and honest, and trustworthy, and I'll protect you better, and--,"

Alphys covered her mouth with one hand, her stomach suddenly full of butterflies and her heart racing so fast she was certain Undyne could hear it. (She could.) She couldn't imagine the horror that Undyne had experienced when she'd been shot in front of her, let alone shot almost fatally.

That kind of pain was one that she _never_ wanted to experience.

Yet she could see that pain, still raw and bleeding, deep in Undyne's bright green eye.

And finally, she understood.

"Okay," she whispered, lowering her hand from Undyne's mouth. "Let's do it. Let's elope, and when we can, when things are finally they way they should be, we'll have a real wedding."

Undyne shocked her, then; she burst into tears, clearly having barely kept them at bay until just then, and she grabbed Alphys into a crushing hug, one that made her gasp out and then laugh weakly in shock.

But when she heard Undyne genuinely weeping, her own eyes filled, and she held Undyne to her and cried, too, unable to help herself.

"Thank you," Undyne sobbed out, burying her face into Alphys's shoulder. _"Thank you, Alphy._ You have no idea how much this means to me..."

"Then tell me," she answered gently, smiling faintly when she realised she had just given Undyne the same answer that Undyne had given her once, before.

"There are no words," Undyne admitted. "I can't word it. I'm stupid with words, Alphy. I'm so stupid with words."

"You're not," Alphys answered, stroking her hair slowly. "You're actually v-very good with words."

"I'm better with action," Undyne answered.

When Alphys opened her mouth to reply, Undyne darted forward and kissed her - hard.

Alphys stumbled, but Undyne grabbed hold of her and pulled her close, and suddenly all Alphys could think of was her. She clung onto Undyne as if her life depended on it, and with a low sound in her throat, Undyne grabbed hold of her and stood up, then went right to their bed.

Not much was said during this time, but there didn't need to be, as Undyne was right; she was quite eloquent with action, indeed.

* * *

After, lying side-by-side and panting for breath, Alphys sought Undyne's hand and grabbed it, as Undyne was reaching for hers. Both of their palms were damp with sweat, but it didn't matter. They both smiled and squeezed, a sigh coming from Alphys as her eyes closed and her body relaxed.

Then, Undyne moved closer and flipped onto her front, slipping an arm around Alphys's waist and resting her hot face into her shoulder, her eye close, as well. Alphys wrapped her arms around her loosely, lacking the energy for anything but, yet Undyne still understood and snuggled closer, sighing deeply, herself, now.

"So," Undyne whispered, her voice a little hoarse. Alphys turned her head towards her and nodded, so she added, "When do you wanna elope?"

"N-not today," Alphys admitted. "T-too much has happened today... I j-just need a moment to... breathe."

Undyne nodded, nuzzling closer, unable to help herself; Alphys was so warm, and she loved to cuddle close to her. This was no problem, as Alphys felt the same way about Undyne, and shifted so that they were snuggled skin-to-skin; Alphys was certain she was addicted to that feeling.

"I-I th-think..." Alphys then whispered. "Wh-what about... F-Friday?"

"Mm," Undyne answered, sounding drowsy. "Why then? That's only a few days from now..."

"It's..." Alphys went red, wishing the blanket was close enough for her to grab and hide under. "Uh. It's the d-day that m-marks... a month... of-of us... together... in-intimately."

Undyne opened her eye. "God," she whispered. "Has it really only been a month, Alphy? It feels like... it feels like we've been together forever, almost."

"In a way, we've been friends for far longer," Alphys agreed, her eyes still closed, her hand idly stroking through Undyne's now-loosened hair. "But... I suppose trying times m-make things seem more intense." She smiled. "I m-mean, we certainly... sort of... rushed into bed a little."

"Did you feel rushed?" Undyne wondered, looking up at her.

Alphys opened her eyes, now, to meet her gaze. "No," she admitted honestly. "I wanted it, so much, no matter what it meant, even if it had been a one-time thing."

 _"Never,"_ Undyne growled, hugging onto her tighter and making her laugh.

"But from the outside, looking in, one could argue we rushed into it," Alphys added. "Th-though, I-I was... I've been..." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I-in love with you for ages."

Undyne paused, then slowly moved closer, before lying atop her. Alphys smiled up at her, wrapping her arms around her neck and her tail around one of her legs, and Undyne smiled, her face pink.

"Me, too," Undyne admitted. "With you, I mean."

"C-can you wait til Friday?" Alphys wondered, one hand reaching up and brushing the hair from her face, something Undyne leaned into and sighed from. She nodded, and Alphys felt a flutter to her stomach again.

Instinctively, she hooked one leg around Undyne's waist, and Undyne opened her eye and looked into hers, a smile playing on her lips.

"Again?" she wondered.

"Again," Alphys agreed, hooking her other leg around her other hip and pulling her down closer, before kissing her again deeply, something Undyne returned quite eagerly.

* * *

Neither of them realised they had fallen asleep until Alphys's phone started ringing. She snorted awake and groped for it blindly, then held it up and mumbled a greeting she was sure was "hello" but was probably more likely "uuuggghh?"

 _"Alphys!"_ Mettaton shouted, making her wince and hold the phone away. "It's been an _hour,_ and I've run out of things to say to Asgore and Laurel, and I'm panicking! _What the hell are you doing?!_ Have you two figured it out yet?! _Please save me!"_

Alphys rubbed her eyes sleepily, lying back down on the bed. Undyne curled up next to her immediately.

"H-how can you n-not know how to entertain anyone?" she wondered. "You're an entertainer, Metta. You m-make a living off of that."

"This is different! I usually can't see the reactions! I can see every single reaction! _Save me, Alphysy!"_

"Fine, god, we'll be there in a bit." She hung up before he could add anything and tossed the phone over the side of the bed, before turning back to Undyne and curling up with her again. Undyne smiled and held her close, and she sighed deeply in content.

"It's kinda funny when the diva panics," Undyne admitted.

"It is," Alphys agreed. "But less so when you're the target of that panic." She sighed, then slowly sat up and stretched. "We sh-should probably go over."

Undyne watched her for a moment, a lazy smile on her face, something that made her blush and cover her chest with her arms. Undyne reached up and pulled them away, and she smiled faintly, letting her.

"Pretty," Undyne then murmured, her eye going over Alphys's naked body slowly.

"You're crazy," Alphys muttered. _"You're_ the pretty one."

"Do I have to drag you back into this bed and prove you wrong?" Undyne wondered, raising an eyebrow and looking as if she hoped the answer was yes.

Alphys laughed. "No... th-though maybe later. F-for now, let's go."


	5. Insight

The moment Mettaton opened the door, he hugged Alphys and wouldn't let go for a while, making her blush and look to Undyne for help.

"Thank god," he murmured. "Asgore started talking about snails. It's freaking me out, and Laurel looks like she's going to vomit."

Undyne laughed, before carefully extracting her fiancee from his grasp. "Then we're here just in time," she replied.

Laurel looked up as they walked into Mettaton's suite, and she did indeed look rather nauseated. "Hello," she said softly, her voice wobbly. "Lord Asgore was just... talking about snails..." She looked away, paling.

Asgore shrugged. "I don't understand your reactions," he admitted.

Undyne and Alphys sat down with him, while Mettaton sat down on the other chair and gave Asgore a sour look.

"Snails are a wonderful food, especially in pies! They're high in protein, and the texture allows them to slide down the throat in such a delightful way--,"

"Baaaarf," Undyne broke in, adding choking noises. "Dad, no one likes snails, so please spare us."

Alphys blushed a little. "I-I kinda do," she admitted softly.

Asgore beamed at her, and she smiled in return.

"Anyway!" Laurel broke in, sounding desperate. "Please!" She turned to Undyne. "What did you decide? Do I need to contact my friends today?"

"No," Undyne admitted, and Laurel's face fell a little, until she added, "but Friday works for us."

"What?!" Mettaton spluttered out.

Undyne grinned at him, all teeth. "You heard me, pencil sharpener. Friday."

When he looked at Alphys, who nodded with barely-hidden glee, he leaned back and said nothing, his expression carefully blank.

Laurel and Asgore, however, shared the same emotion: happiness.

"That's wonderful!" Asgore exclaimed, grabbing Alphys - who was beside him - into a tight hug, one she returned with a laugh.

While not as close to Asgore as Undyne, through their work together, they were still friends, and she still looked up to him in a similar way as Undyne - though admittedly, not at first (that, when she looked back, was humiliating, and planned to take it to dust, despite Mettaton already knowing).

"M-Mettaton," Alphys then said, once Asgore had let go of her. "I-I need to ask you a favour. C-can I talk to you in private?"

Undyne looked down at her in surprise, but Mettaton nodded, standing up right away and holding a hand out to her. She took it, and he led her down the hall to his bedroom.

The two hotel suites weren't that different, so Alphys felt a strange sense of familiarity when she looked at the place. However, it was clear that Mettaton had spend the couple of weeks decorating instead of recuperating, as the entire room was full of posters and samples of his products. She smiled a little at seeing this, as it reminded her of how things were when they shared a space in the Underground.

He let go of her hand and said, with a smile, "Well, darling, spill. What is it you need of me?"

"I-I..." She fumbled with the front of her shirt, stretching it out a bit. "I... d-don't have many friends, as you know. And I-I'm marrying my - er - _second_ -best one."

Mettaton beamed at this, which made her happy she said it, despite fibbing a little.

"S-so I was wondering if y-you could be... m-my second."

Mettaton blinked. "I thought it was going to be a human ceremony."

"It is," she agreed. "But I still want you there, at my side, Metta." She looked up at him, and he felt his soul ache a little; she looked so vulnerable asking. "You've been amazing these past few weeks, and all wh-while I thought you didn't even like me very much..."

"Hush, now, that's just ridiculous," he answered sharply, making her blush. "That's the furthest from the truth, now. Perhaps..."

He sighed, looking uncomfortable. "Yes, perhaps at first, this was true. I saw you as a means to an end, and that was my bodies. But the more I spent time with you - the more I _spend_ time with you..."

He smiled, a genuine, warm smile. "How can I not adore you, my dear?"

Alphys lit up, smiling up at him and grabbing one of his hands. "S-so you'll do it? You'll be my second?"

He nodded. "Yes. Of course, how silly of you to even doubt it!"

Alphys threw herself at him before he even finished his sentence and hugged onto him tight. Mettaton bit his lip, his smile fading and his eyes dimming, but he held her close in return.

"You're happy, yes?" he murmured.

She laughed shakily. "Can't you tell?" she replied.

"I can," he agreed. "I just... needed to make sure. If you weren't, I'd say no. But if you're truly happy, Alphysy, then I will do anything in my power to make sure you stay that way."

Alphys couldn't help it, then; she started to cry. She tried to speak, but only got out high-pitched gibberish, but he understood all the same, and held her close, wishing he could cry, too.

* * *

When they came back, there was tea. Mettaton paused in the doorway, though Alphys returned to the couch.

"Where the hell did that come from?" he asked, pointing to the tea.

Asgore smiled, reaching into his coat pocket, and held up a small tin of golden flower tea. "I never go anywhere without this," he explained.

"We were just talking about your plans," Laurel said with a smile. "And I think it's a great idea. Having a private ceremony is, truthfully, understandable, especially after what happened when all you wanted to do was present a speech."

She paused, then looked guilty. "Sorry, that was rude."

"And yet no less true," Undyne replied, waving her hand as though to wave away the insult. "I don't want to risk anyone's life, so yeah, I agree."

"Y-you can really get us married?" Alphys asked Laurel. "It would be legal on the surface and everything?"

Laurel nodded, taking a sip of her tea - which she rather liked - before continuing. "Yes. Both Cathy and I agree that it's a good idea, and..."

She looked into her cup. "It's also a way of an apology. From both of us."

"Uh," Undyne blinked. "What?"

Laurel sighed. "My team failed you," she admitted, her face falling. "My security team. They were supposed to guard you at all times, and they failed you. Alphys got shot because they didn't pay attention close enough. I'm so deeply sorry."

"Laurel, you already apologised for that," Undyne answered. "And repeatedly, too. But," and here she grinned. "I'm not gonna say no to a chance to marry Alphy legally, even if I disagree with your reasons for setting it up."

"Still," Laurel sighed. "They need better training."

"May I ask you something, Laurel, dear?" Asgore wondered, looking sombre. "The human who shot Alphys - who were they, and why did they do it?"

Laurel looked up at him, surprised. "You didn't see it on the news?"

"I still live Underground," he replied kindly. "And I do not have a way to access human television signals."

"I can fix that for you!" Alphys broke in. "I'd love to be able to fix that for you, Asgore."

When he nodded, she grinned, took out her phone, and started writing down steps on how to do so. (Undyne had to hide her laughter at this, as well as her blush, and the sound that came out of her was a kind of sneezing-snort.)

"The shooter," Laurel went on, "said that he acted out of natural disgust. He said that monsters were meant to either be dead or underground, and if they won't stay underground, he'd see them dead." She winced, especially when Asgore looked horrified. "He was going to kill not just Undyne, but Alphys and sans, too. He admitted it, and wasn't ashamed at all for what he did."

Asgore stared at her, his eyes wide. "But... it's been decades, Laurel. Why is there still such festering hatred?"

Laurel sighed, tapping her hand against her mug, so that her rings made a clinking noise. "Your guess is as good as mine, because honestly, there's no reason for it. We, as a city, had long forgotten that you existed, save in fairy tales. The fact that someone suddenly wakes up and decides, 'I'm gonna kill those monsters I didn't know were real until now' is really frightening to me."

Mettaton glared, but not at her. Rather, he picked a place on one of the walls, so that no one would think he was angry at them. It was rare to see him glaring, so everyone stared at him, anyway.

"It also makes you wonder," he added,  his voice low, "just how many more humans are like him, harbouring the same hatred, and waiting for a moment to strike."

"Mettaton, don't be paranoid," Alphys answered sharply, though her claws dug into her knees a little at the thought of it. "It was probably just one human acting irrationally and based purely on the way he was raised. I highly doubt that there would be anyone else as depraved, especially here in Ebott."

"But remember," Laurel said softly. "Our children grew up with stories of us, the mighty humans, defeating you, the evil monsters. There very well could be others, and we'd be fools to be so naive."

"So what are we supposed to do, then?" Undyne demanded, leaning back and looking irritated. "Ask everyone who wants to murder monsters to come forward? Are you kidding me?"

"Would that it would be so easy," Mettaton muttered.

"And truly, it's not," Laurel agreed. "Which is why, again, I'm glad you're opting for a private wedding, for now. Once monsters are allowed on the surface and are legally citizens, then you can throw a huge party. I think it's a great idea, and a safe one. And I'll be certain to have the place ringed with security." She paused. _"Good_ security."

"Do be less hard on yourself, please," Asgore told her kindly. "No one expected a gun."

Both Alphys and Undyne shuddered, moving closer together without even thinking about it.

Both knew what it was like to feel a bullet, as though Alphys had been the one (technically) fatally shot, Undyne had felt the bullet bounce off of herself, too. It was not a pleasant memory.

"Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with you humans, inventing shit like that?" Undyne muttered.

"Well," Laurel said softly. "We, like you, had magic, once. But once we sealed you away, I think that's when we also lost - or started losing - access to our magic. So we needed new ways to kill each other." Her tone was flat. "Bullets are the preferred method."

"I hate them," Alphys confessed, shuddering again.

"They're technically illegal, here," Laurel said, her voice still flat. "Save the army, police force, or some hunters, no one is allowed to have them. And the guy still won't tell where he got it from. It wasn't a rifle, so we know he's not a hunter, but one of those..." She made a face, waving her hand in the air. "Handgun-things."

"A Glock," Mettaton answered.

When everyone looked at him in surprise, he blinked back. "What? I like detective shows."

"Well, whatever it was, it wasn't legal," Laurel concluded. "Not even my security team has guns. They have tasers."

When everyone blinked at her, she elaborated. "They look like guns, but shoot out cables with barbs at the end that cause electric shocks to stun someone."

"Why the fuck would anyone use bullets if they have one of those?" Undyne demanded.

Laurel sighed yet again. "You ask all the questions many of us have been asking for years, Undyne," she replied.

Alphys thought about this, pausing in her plans. She'd also watched many shows from human media from discarded video tapes and DVDs that had guns, and they were as lethal on-screen as they had been for her. There was certainly a lot of shows that had them, and many humans seemed to resort to guns first, rather than other non-lethal methods. It was a strange, backwards logic, as one would think they would want to keep each other alive, instead of taking a life so easily and so pointlessly.

"You promise we'll be taken care of, Laurel?" Undyne said sharply, leaning forward and narrowing her eye, the colour glowing a little.

Laurel sat up and nodded, her own eyes glinting. "Yes. I'll do everything in my power to make sure you're safe."

Undyne smiled, then, believing her. "Thank you."

"So, shall we change the subject, then?" Laurel wondered. "To, perhaps, what you'll be wearing come Friday?"

This, everyone agreed - even Mettaton, who had many opinions on this topic - was a great idea.


	6. Defence

"I look ridiculous."

"Nonsense, darling, you look delicious. Undyne will sink her teeth into you the moment she sees you."

"Great. My brand-new wife will become a widow in the span of ten minutes by eating me."

Mettaton glared at Alphys. "Do stop being difficult, Alphys. It causes you to look much older."

Alphys snorted. "Too bad for you that I don't care about things like that," she replied honestly.

She sighed, turning a little in the mirror, before turning back. "Seriously, Metta, I look like a jackass."

"Are you saying my dress line is designed to create jackasses?"

"I'm saying no matter what I wear, I'm a jackass."

Mettaton sighed. He looked around the shop, one that he had specifically bribed in order to make the place as empty as possible, and save the owner and two clerks, he had been successful. This was the first store that had begun carrying his line of clothing, and he intended to make sure that his best friend got the best of it.

Except that she was being stubborn, and annoyingly obstinate.

Outside, there was a crowd of people trying to get pictures. The news of the impending elopement had luckily not broken, yet, but it was clear that the city's new monsters were up to something, and the human reporters were eager to figure it out. Luckily, the clerks and owner had drawn as many curtains as possible and locked the door, additionally adding the "Closed" sign for good measure, but this didn't stop them from trying.

At the moment, only one clerk and the owner were around, and both were looking at something else, clearly and purposefully not saying anything; when Alphys saw this, she stormed right to the change room and slammed the door with a growl; even the staff knew she looked stupid. She stripped herself free of the gaudy garment and sighed, standing there for a moment in just her underwear and gazing at her tired reflection.

It had been two days since the mayors' meeting, and they still had yet to hear anything from Mayor McCallion. It was nice to be distracted with the process of the elopement, it was true, but Alphys was cynical all the same. She wondered if it was even worth the trouble, if all the Mega-Mayor was going to do was nix everything they had fought for.

She gently hung the dress back up, noticing that it looked far better on the hanger than it ever would on her. She then flicked her eyes to her reflection for a moment and sighed.

 _What the hell am I doing?_ she wondered. _Why does she even want to marry me?_

_Why does she even love me?_

_I wish I had my favourite dress..._

She bit her lip, blinking back self-pitying tears, and grabbed the next dress. It was a teal-green thing, made of a soft material, and she sighed again, wondering what this one would make her look like. She shrugged it on carefully and smoothed it out, then looked again - and paused, her eyes widening.

The dress hung just above her feet and flowed in a flattering way, cinched right below her breasts to accentuate and allowing the material to flow down in gentle pleats. It was simple but elegant, with flowing short sleeves and a V-neck, one that was panelled by off-white lace across the bust.

She froze, then reached up and touched the sides - and found pockets. _Pockets._ In a dress designed by _Mettaton._

Carefully, she walked out of the change room, her eyes still wide, and she looked at her friend in confusion - especially when he grinned and nodded in a knowing way.

"I knew it," he said, adding to her confusion. "That's it, isn't it?"

"Mettaton," she murmured, putting a hand in one of the pockets and testing it a little, making the material of the dress flow around her; it was so soft around her legs.

"You..." She glared at him. "You tricked me."

He smirked.

"You made me put on monstrosities that you _knew_ I hated, all while having _this_ at the bottom of the pile!" she added, walking up to him with both hands out and claws aimed for his neck. "You _made this dress for me!_ And you _still_ made me go through that taffeta-tulle-satin nightmare!"

Yet when she reached him, she grabbed him and hugged him tight, bursting into tears.

"It's _perfect,"_ she sobbed. "I _hate_ you, Metta."

He chuckled and held her close, nodding and giving her a kiss on her cheek. "You're welcome, darling, and I love you too."

"You devious prick," she answered, then laughed tearfully, finally feeling a bubble of excitement rise up in her breast - _finally._ She pulled away and looked up at him. "D-do you think Undyne--?"

"Yes," he replied before she could finish, and she lit up, more tears filling her eyes.

"Think of it, Metta," she murmured. "Something happy amidst all of this loss. Something cheerful to celebrate amidst all of this death. It doesn't make it worth it, but it helps, just a little, d-don't you think?"

He cupped her face into his hands. "Absolutely, my darling," he replied, giving her another kiss on her forehead.

"Hey."

They turned around, and saw, coming up from behind the owner and one of the clerks (who had been watching with starry, tearful eyes, too happy to speak) the second clerk. Her face was carefully blank, and she held one hand behind her back.

"H-hi," Alphys replied, though her body suddenly filled with a wave of adrenaline. She blinked, and her heart started racing, something stirring deep in her chest, and without control, she felt her magic stirring within her blood.

It shocked her so much that she froze, speechless, a hand going to her chest, even as she mentally latched onto that magic.

"What do you think?" Mettaton wondered, all smiles and oblivious to Alphys's reaction. "Isn't she a vision?"

"No."

And she raised her hidden arm and pointed a gun right at Alphys, right at her head, and fired.

And something happened then, something that Alphys couldn't fully explain for a long time.

Something flared out within her, from, she knew later, her soul, and she threw her hands up and thrust that power out in front of her, just as the snap of the gun firing reached her hearing. A bright flash of yellow - so yellow, like sunflowers, or buttercups - burst from her palms and flattened out before her and Mettaton, in mere seconds, and she felt a jolt as something hit that sheet of magic. The jolt was hard enough to knock her back a few steps, but she kept her hands up and that magic summoned, and something dropped harmlessly outside of it: a bullet, now flattened by the force of the hit.

Mettaton grabbed Alphys a second later and pulled her behind him, breaking her concentration and causing the shield to vanish, but by then, it was safe, as both the owner and the first clerk screamed and tackled the second clerk, knocking the weapon from her hands and holding her down, dragging her arms behind her back.

Alphys stared from behind Mettaton, her breaths short and fast and her heart racing. She stared at that human, and as the human stared back, she saw nothing but pure hatred.

"You're disgusting!" the clerk screamed from the floor. "You don't belong here! You belong buried back where you belong, in _dirt and shit!"_

"Call the police!" the owner told the first clerk, and he nodded and ran to the back, while the owner kept herself seated atop the female clerk, who was still spitting obscenities at Alphys and Mettaton.

Mettaton had taken hold of Alphys by her shoulders and pulled her back, as far from them as possible and to the other side of the store, and Alphys didn't protest.

All she could do was stare into the eyes of the human who had just tried to murder her.

All because she wanted to wear a nice dress to her own wedding.

"We all know!" the woman screamed. "We all know what you are! And don't think this will be the last time, monster! We know we can't kill that demon, but _you? We can_ _kill you, and when we do, she'll kill herself!"_

Something snapped in Alphys, then, and she flung herself forward with a snarl, hands out and claws ready, her teeth bared. She wanted to _hurt_ this human for that, for not only what she did, but what she was saying.

Because it was true.

Mettaton grabbed her and hauled her back, and she shouted and tried to break free, tears filling her eyes.

Silently, as she screamed and tried to break free, Mettaton dragged her to the back room and out of sight of the humans, just as they heard sirens coming closer.

* * *

It took a long time for Alphys to calm down from that, longer than she cared to admit.

Mettaton had to fight her for a good ten minutes, and once she wore herself out, he managed to bring her back to the change room and get her dressed back into civvies, wrapping the dress up again and placing it over his arm.

Now, she sat in the corner of the room and curled up, hiding her face into her arms and not saying a word, though she was shaking and weeping.

When the police came to see them, they asked if she needed medical help, but Mettaton told them that she was unhurt - just in a bit of shock, and that he would get her away from here and safe as soon as possible. They then took his witness statement, asking if they could come by the hotel later to take Alphys's statement once she'd calmed down, and they were finally permitted to leave.

They left out the back way to avoid press, and just barely managed to get into the care waiting for them without being seen.

The whole time, Alphys was silent, her eyes always full and overflowing, her face so hurt that it hurt Mettaton to even see it. He wanted to try and say something - anything - to comfort her, but nothing seemed right, as everything seemed too cliché. So instead, he put his arm around her and held her close, and she leaned on him but still remained silent.

* * *

 Undyne was pacing, chewing on her nails to blood and shaking, as she waited for Alphys and Mettaton to return.

She had been going over more notes of soul-absorption, hoping to figure out what was going on between her and Alphys, when she got a text message from sans that said: _"turn the damned tv on, now, undyne."_

She did, confused, and saw coverage of what looked like a police scene at a small clothing store - one she recognised.

When it suddenly clicked, she felt herself go rigid with terror, and she watched, her face close to the screen, until she heard that no one was hurt.

Then, she turned the TV off, threw the remote across the room with a shout, and started to pace.

The moment Alphys walked back into the hotel room, Undyne barely took it in before she lunged at her and grabbed her into an embrace, bursting into tears. Alphys grabbed her immediately and held her tight, breaking down, herself, and she could feel Undyne trembling so hard her teeth rattled.

"Oh, god, Alphy," she whispered, over and over again, in a tear-choked voice. "Oh, god, Alphy, _Alphy_..."

"I'm okay," Alphys whispered back, her own voice high with tears. "I'm okay..."

Mettaton quietly went to the closet and hung the dress up, then said, very gently, "Alphysy, do you want me to stay for a while? Or are you going to be okay?"

"I... I'll be okay..." she murmured, opening her eyes and looking up at him over Undyne's shaking shoulder. "Th-thank you for everything, Metta."

"Thank you for saving us both," he replied with a gentle smile. "I'll text you later, okay?" When she nodded, he left.

* * *

 Mettaton stood outside of the door to the suite for a moment, a hand on his chest and over his soul, his eyes closed. He was shaking, something he had been able to hide from Alphys. He felt like he could barely breathe.

_You almost lost her, and you did nothing. She almost got murdered, and you stood frozen like a stupid statue. If it wasn't for her own actions, you and her would be dead._

_You did nothing._

_You almost lost her, the only person left in this stinking world that means something to you._

_What kind of friend are you?_

He wished, for the millionth time, that he could cry like he could when he'd still been a ghost.

Instead, he walked slowly to his own suite, went into it, and curled up on the couch, shuddering.

He didn't move from there for a long, long time.

* * *

"Alphy..." Undyne murmured, her voice shaky and wobbling with each syllable. "How...? How did you... survive?"

Alphys reached up, loosened Undyne's hair, and started stroking it slowly, something that had Undyne closing her eye again and burying her wet face into her shoulder, immediately comforted.

"I... used my magic," Alphys admitted.

Undyne jerked back in surprise, her tear-streaked face pale but shocked. "You used magic? But, Alphy, you _never_ use magic!"

"Er," Alphys smiled weakly. "Th-that's not true. I use it a lot in my research. I just choose n-not to use it beyond that because... uh..." She looked away. "It's... powerful... and sometimes hard to c-control."

"You never told me that," Undyne said in shock.

"I... d-didn't think it w-would be important..." she admitted.

Then she looked up and right into Undyne's eye. "B-but Undyne... some-something happened. I was able to control it, eff-effortlessly. And it worked. It didn't backfire or hurt me or any of the usual stuff that happens when I use magic like that. It just _worked,_ and in a way I've never even used before!"

She couldn't stop speaking now, which was good, because Undyne was speechless.

"I... I was able to focus, and actually summon up a shield, and keep it up, and it didn't even flicker or fizzle out! And it was... it was _so easy..._ And it didn't drain my reserves. If-if anything, it made me feel more _powerful!_ I... I was..." She finally ran out of words, staring up at Undyne in disbelief, now.

"The soul," Undyne whispered, and Alphys nodded emphatically. "It's given you control, and it saved your life, and Mettaton's."

"Y-yes!" Alphys agreed, placing her hands on Undyne's shoulders, now, and holding tightly onto them, her eyes blazing with an inner light that held Undyne spellbound. "The soul you gave me, it just... the m-moment I saw that human, Undyne, something rose up in me. It _knew_ I was in danger, even before _I_ did! And it saved me! It helped steady my magic and saved me!"

She suddenly felt confused. "H-how does that...? Why did that happen? How d-did it know before I did? Undyne... I'm so... so confused..."

Undyne pulled her closed and held her, just as Alphys clung onto her tight. "Me, too, Alphy," she agreed. "But you and me, we'll figure it out."

Alphys nodded. "Yes. We will. Together."

Undyne managed a small smile, and she closed her eye. "Together."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Alphys's wedding dress is the exact same as the one I wore to my wedding. FIGHT ME.


	7. Honesty (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut warning for the first half; at the page break it ends, so do read from there for plots. Thankee!

Undyne wouldn't let Alphys go.

They were still in the doorway of the suite, still holding each other tight, and Undyne refused to let go. She was still shaking, and Alphys felt horrible for bringing that kind of pain to her, so she did the best she could, and kept stroking her hair and rubbing her back gently, every once and a while whispering that it was okay, that she was okay, and that they would get to the bottom of this.

Every time she did, Undyne simply adjusted her hold so that she held tighter, and soon, Alphys fell silent, closing her eyes and just listening to her fiancée breathing.

Then, in a soft voice, Undyne whispered, "Alphy, I need you."

Alphys pulled away a little so that she could look at Undyne, actually get a good look at her, and saw that she looked miserable. Her eye was dark and dim, the green colour almost opaque, and her face was tear-streaked and pale. Her lips twitched a little, and she looked ready to either scream or sob.

Carefully, Alphys touched her cheek and brushed some of the tears away, and Undyne leaned into her hand and closed her eye, and more tears came.

"Please," Undyne whispered, her voice breaking.

She didn't realise yet that Alphys was trying to communicate to her silently that it was a yes, and that she was scared, too, and needed that comfort, too. So to convey it better, Alphys leaned forward and kissed Undyne, right on her quivering lips, gently.

Undyne grabbed her and deepened it immediately, a small sound of need coming from her, and soon, Alphys found herself stumbling, her legs going weak as she licked Undyne's lips apart. Undyne pushed closer, licking Alphys's tongue slowly, sending delicious chills through Alphys as she did, and soon, she was the one making a sound of need.

That was enough to send fire flooding through Undyne's veins, and she reached down and grabbed at the front of Alphys's blouse, unbuttoning it quickly with her deft fingers, before opening it and slipping her hands underneath and back, unhooking Alphys's bra.

By the time Alphys had shrugged off the blouse, she needed to shrug off her bra, too, and she smiled faintly, always turned on by how efficient Undyne could be.

Before she could even retaliate, Undyne dove down and licked one of her nipples, causing her to stumble again and gasp, Undyne reached back and grabbed her, holding her steady, before one hand cupped her other breast and gently kneaded it. Alphys had to dig her claws into Undyne's shoulders to stay on her feet, now, as she was pretty sure she no longer had any knees, and she pulled Undyne's face back to hers and kissed her with everything she had, her heart racing and her blood hot.

Undyne reached up once Alphys was steady and pulled away, only to hurriedly tug both her shirt and bra over her head, before she grabbed Alphys by the rear and slid her hands down, catching her at the back of her knees and pulling her off of her feet. Alphys squeaked, so sure she was going to tumble, but Undyne grabbed her and hooked her legs around her narrow waist, before moving them both down to the floor, Alphys on her back and Undyne atop her.

For a moment, there was only this, this intense kissing and touching, the steady movement of their bodies as they shifted against each other, both feeling hot and desperate, now.

When Alphys reached down and tried to tug off her pants, her fingers fumbled, so Undyne unhooked her legs and did it for her, before she wiggled out of her own. The moment they both tossed the two pairs aside, Undyne was back on Alphys, only with no air between them. Their hearts beat against each other as they kissed again, and soon, Undyne's knee reached between Alphys's legs and gently pushed them apart.

Alphys squirmed in order to part them further, panting by now and bright red, her eyes glazed over and her hands scrabbling at Undyne's thighs, and she groaned out, "Oh god, Undyne, please, _please_ take me, _please..."_

Undyne moaned softly, capturing Alphys into another intense kiss, before doing just that, pressing herself right against Alphys so that hot, wet flesh met hotter and wetter flesh.

They both growled the moment they felt it, and without another moment's pause, Undyne started to move, her pace fast but one Alphys kept up with, her claws now digging into her back and her face at her shoulder, unable to keep herself from biting down a little on the muscular flesh, there. Undyne felt a jolt of pure lust hit her when she felt those teeth, and she pinned Alphys down and moved even harder and faster, crying out as she did.

Again, they felt it: that deep, visceral connection that happened every time they made love this way.

If they used other methods, like their hands or tongues, there was a tingle similar to it, yes, but only just a little bit stronger than when they touched normally. When they made love like this, with their whole bodies, that feeling intensified to something potent and rich, and it was like they felt what the other felt, thought what the other thought, and felt all the more pleasure and love for it.

Alphys's eyes snapped open suddenly, her teeth still slightly attached to Undyne's shoulder, and they were wide and flashing with yellow.

As she felt herself getting closer - and in turn felt Undyne get closer - she suddenly understood what they had been unable to understand this whole time, and it was so obvious that she felt ridiculous for not seeing it sooner.

But that thought only lasted a moment.

It was quickly replaced  when Undyne suddenly grabbed one of her hands and dragged it down to her gills, uttering a high, drawn-out sound the moment Alphys's fingertips touched the sensitive lines. Alphys gasped, from both her increasing pleasure than the action, and slowly, she trailed her fingertips over Undyne's gills as light as she could, only sometimes moving them closer than she desired when their movements became more and more frenzied.

 _"Yes,"_ Undyne suddenly growled out, burying her face into Alphys's shoulder, her other hand digging into the carpeted floor beneath them, dragging her nails down it so hard she left marks - marks they'd have to explain later to the hotel staff. _"Fuck, Alphy, you're so good... don't stop...!"_

"Not even close," Alphys gasped out in reply, her eyes squeezed shut and her legs tightening around Undyne's. "Except that... I am...!" she added breathlessly.

"Me, too," Undyne agreed, something Alphys already knew. "Oh, Alphy, you feel... you feel _so good, Alphy...!"_ She gasped, then cried out, her body going rigid and her moves sporadic, her eye shut.

Alphys clung to her, feeling her own control over her body loosen as she teetered on the edge. She heard Undyne cry out her name, just as she cried out Undyne's, and the writhed together, suddenly meeting in a kiss as their orgasms hit, their cries muffled only by their lips.

It was intense, and it coursed through them so strongly that they both could feel nothing else; it never lasted this long any other way, even when they tried to draw it out. Now, they barely had to try to draw it out, and they both whimpered, the feeling so intense it was almost painful, but far more sweet and remaining just on the side of pleasurable.

As it faded, they slowed, then finally stopped, Alphys lying back on the floor, her hands dropping to her sides and her eyes rolling up.

Undyne listened carefully and touched her face, and she stirred awake slowly, her eyes dark and glazed over, before they closed again and she dropped off once more.

This time, Undyne didn't wake her, instead curling close to her and holding her close, covering her like a blanket and resting her head on Alphys's chest, and over her racing heart.

By the time it had slowed down, she had followed Alphys into relieved, satisfied sleep.

* * *

Alphys awoke to the feel of Undyne carrying her. She stirred awake, confused for a moment, until she suddenly was gently rested on their bed, and she relaxed.

When Undyne leaned down to kiss her, she jumped when she saw that Alphys's eyes were open, and she was smiling. Undyne smiled in return, and Alphys reached up and cupped her face between her hands, pulling her down for a kiss - something Undyne returned gently.

Then, she pulled away and moved to lie down next to her, curling up with her under the blankets, lying close enough so that their naked skin touched. Alphys sighed deeply, her eyes closing again from this purely sensual feeling, and she smiled even more, feeling so lucky to be able to do this at all.

"Alphy," Undyne whispered, her arms around Alphys, though one hand was positioned to slowly stroke the skin along Alphys's head.

When Alphys nodded, she concluded with, "I love you so much."

"I love you, too," Alphys agreed.

Then, just as she said that, she remembered, and her eyes snapped open.

"Undyne," she said, her voice suddenly sharp, and she looked up at her, pulling away a little so that Undyne's hand could no longer caress her.

"Undyne, it's our souls," she blurted out.

Undyne blinked, her brows furrowed in confusion. "What? What is? What do you mean?"

"Undyne, that connection we have, especially when we make love," Alphys continued, once again on a verbal train and unable to pause. "That connection that makes us feel our climaxes together, that makes us feel closer and more powerful whenever we touch at all, it's all because of our souls."

When Undyne looked even more confused, Alphys sat up, her voice growing more and more excited.

"I controlled my magic today, for the first time in the entire time I've been alive, to a degree beyond leading it down cables and wires. I did it without even thinking. And that was because you gave me one of the human souls, and gave me unmatched power, even for a Boss Monster." She grabbed onto Undyne's shoulders excitedly. "But it still has that connection to the souls you have, Undyne! My soul, the one you gave me to keep my original one from shattering, was originally attached to _you._ And technically, it still is, despite being inside of me!"

Undyne's eye focused and cleared, and she understood. "In a way, then, through you, I still have access to seven souls?" she asked.

Alphys nodded so hard her glasses slid down her nose.

Undyne stared at her. "Was that what they meant, then?"

"Who?" Alphys asked, now the one to feel confusion.

"The human, the ghost, whoever it was who told me to use that soul so save you," Undyne explained. "They said I would still have access to the power I would lose. Is that what they meant?"

Alphys felt her blood go cold, then hot again. "Holy shit," she whispered, her hands going over her mouth. "Yes. That's exactly what it means."

"You mean to tell me that I still have the power of a god?" Undyne demanded, sitting up with a jolt.

"No, Undyne," Alphys said, her voice muffled. _"We_ have the power of a god. Through some kind of symbiotic connection, we can combine our magic and access that power."

"Holy fuck," Undyne whispered. "Alphy, we can't tell anyone. We can't tell anyone about this, at all."

Alphys was nodding the moment she said it. "We can't even tell Laurel," she agreed. "I know, it's bad to lie, but..." She lowered her hands, looking helpless. "We can't tell anyone. This can't get out. If it gets out..."

She flinched. "Undyne, there's something else I need to tell you."

Undyne nodded, taking both of her hands into her own and lacing their fingers together. With a wavering voice, she explained what the human who had tried to kill her and Mettaton had said, about using Alphys as a means to hurt Undyne, and drive her into an insanity that would cause suicide.

Undyne took it well, though she looked a little pale.

Then, she murmured, looking down at their hands, "She... she's not wrong, Alphy."

Alphys felt like she'd just been slapped in the face, and her hands twitched in Undyne's. "What did you say?!"

Undyne looked miserable, now. "She's not wrong," she repeated, her voice soft. "I... Alphy, if I lost you... I wouldn't be able to go on..."

Alphys pulled her hands away and grabbed her face, hard, forcing her to look at her. _"No!"_ she shouted. "You _have_ to live! No matter what happens to me, Undyne, _you have to live!"_

Undyne stared at her. "Why, though? Without you... without you, I have no one..."

"You have Asgore, and sans!"

"No, you don't understand," Undyne answered, her voice so soft that Alphys wished she would shout, instead. "I lost Papyrus because I was careless. I was naive. He was murdered because I didn't train him to be a warrior well enough. I didn't train him to be strong, to recognise evil."

Her eye filled, and overflowed. "If I lost you to a human killer, just like I lost him, I would die, too. I would have failed you, too. Because this time, I didn't train _myself_ to protect you the way I should."

"Undyne, we're _partners,"_ Alphys protested, feeling desperate, now. The idea of Undyne killing herself over her was terrifying her. "We protect each other. If we fail, we tried our best, and we keep going. We keep living, because that's what monsters _do!"_

"Shut up," Undyne pleaded, closing her eye tight.

"I won't!" Alphys answered, holding her face tighter. "It's possible I'll be killed, Undyne, especially now that they have their targets on me! I need you to promise me you won't give up, that you won't die because of me, that you'll stay alive _for our people, Undyne!"_

Undyne's eye opened at that, and to Alphys's surprise, she saw amazement there. "Alphy," she whispered, reaching up and covering her hands with her own. "You just said... you just said 'our people'."

"Well, aren't they?!" Alphys cried, her own tears falling free. _"Aren't_ _they?!_ Don't they need us?! Don't they look to us to make this right, to right this wrong, to make the world right for them?! Don't we owe them that, being who we are, now?!"

Undyne stared at her, a smile slowly spreading upon her lips, though she still cried. "Alphy," she murmured, rubbing the backs of her hands slowly. "Holy shit. Do you hear yourself, love?"

"Stop derailing!" Alphys answered. "Promise me, Undyne! _Promise me, or I can't marry you!"_

The smile vanished, as though she slapped it away, and Undyne jerked back and out of her grasp. "What?"

Alphys covered her face. "I can't marry you if you're going to abandon our people at something so trivial as the loss of my life!" she sobbed out.

Undyne felt a bubble of anger rise up in her. "It's not trivial, Alphys!" she snapped.

"When it comes to peace, it is!"

"Alphys!" Undyne grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands from her face. "Are you listening to yourself?! Are you even hearing what you're saying?!"

Alphys shook her head, her face messy with her sobs.

"You're acting like a _queen,_ Alphy."

Alphys froze, then; even her heart stuttered.

"Everything you're saying is what a queen would say!" Undyne continued. "You're thinking of them - and me - first! That's what a real queen would do, Alphy! We're not even married yet and already, already, you're acting like the queen I knew you would be!" She smiled again - weakly, it was true, but it was real. "My god, Alphy!"

Alphys stared at her, bewildered. She hadn't even realised what she was saying, really; she was just trying to translate her thoughts into words as they came to her.

"I just... Undyne, please..." She shook her head, as though trying to clear her mind. "You need to promise me that, if anything happens to me, you'll be strong."

"How can I predict how I'm gonna react to something so horrible?" Undyne demanded, her smile again vanishing. "How can I even know how I'm going to react to something that... that..." Her voice broke on the last word, and she looked away, her teeth sinking down into her lip.

Then, she lunged forward and grabbed Alphys around her waist, burying her face into Alphys's chest. "Please, Alphy..." she whispered.

Alphys closed her eyes, then placed her hands atop Undyne's head gently, one hand automatically stroking her tangled, loose hair carefully.

"What of me, then?" Alphys wondered. "Would you be okay if I couldn't cope without you?"

"No," Undyne answered immediately - before her eye snapped open in shock, instantly speechless.

Alphys had her painted into a corner, and she couldn't escape.

Slowly, Undyne pulled away and looked at her, and Alphys looked back at her sadly. "Fuck," she added, then. "I... okay, Alphy, I get it."

Alphys nodded, holding out her arms, and Undyne moved closer and hugged onto her tight. "But I fucking _hate it,_ Alphy."

"Me, too," Alphys agreed. "But if we're going to take this seriously, and be rulers on the surface, we need to start thinking about our people, first."

"Fuck," Undyne whispered again. "You're right, I know you're right. That's what we need to remember. We're not just here for us, but here for _them."_

"Exactly, my love," Alphys agreed. "Are... are you going to be okay with that?"

"Oh, fuck yeah," Undyne sighed. "I just..." She looked up at Alphys. "Consider you one of my people, too."

Alphys smiled at her. "Me too, with you."

"Then let's frame it that way, okay?"

"That, I think, we can agree with."

"So you'll still marry me, Alphy?" Undyne wondered. "You'll still be my queen?" She smiled back. "One you practically already are?"

Alphys felt a warmth spread from her chest, to all throughout her body, and she nodded. "Yes, Undyne. Of course."

Undyne then pounced on her and kissed her, pinning her down onto the bed, but Alphys grinned and rolled her over, pinning Undyne, instead, making her laugh.

But not for long - especially when Alphys kissed her again.


	8. Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only ONE person guessed this plot-point before now, and I'm super-impressed. Take a bow, Tortilla-kun, because you are fucken clever, and I like you for it.

"you _idiot."_

Mettaton jumped, almost falling off of the couch in shock. He must have gone on stand-by mode, because there was sans, standing right in the middle of the room and glaring at him with his hands in his pockets. He sat up quickly, feeling confused and a little sluggish; clearly, it was a sign that he needed to charge, soon.

He blinked several times, before he found the words - well, _a_ word - to speak. "sans?"

"no, asgore," sans answered sharply. "what are you, literally made of nothing but nuts?"

"sans," Mettaton sighed, feeling a bit more awake, now. "What are you talking about? And do make it coherent and without a mess of ridiculous, embarrassing puns, please."

sans's eye twitched from the slight, so he bandied one back. _"you love her,"_ he snapped.

Mettaton froze, carefully keeping his face blank and his body still. "I don't know what you're talking about," he answered right away, managing to keep his voice even.

sans took a few more steps forward, his eyes narrowing and dimming. "you love _her,"_ he repeated.

Mettaton took a moment, trying to figure out how to calm himself down, as all he wanted to do was run away and lock himself in the suite's bedroom.

He didn't want to face this right now. He didn't want to deal with this right now.

All he wanted to do was rest and try to forget that Alphys was almost killed in front of him, and all he'd done was stand there and gape.

Carefully, he said, "I don't know if _you_ know what _you're_ talking about."

sans smirked, something that infuriated him. "you absolute idiot. do you think i'm blind? she might be, but i sure as hell am not. i might have had to handle a few things before now, but that doesn't stop me from knowing what's going on. _you._ love. _her._ and it's _pathetic_ , mettaton."

"Get out," Mettaton snarled, anger flaring up in him. _"Get out,_ sans!"

"i get why," sans instead continued. "i mean, she knew you before, when you were still a ghost. she helped you transition into what you are today. she built your body, cheered you on from the sidelines, all while you ignored her and focused on your products and limelights and tv shows and pretended you did it all by yourself."

"Shut _up,_ sans!" Mettaton answered, his voice growing louder, his fingers digging into the cushion he sat on.

"and then, when that _thing_ started killing people, you suddenly realised she could die, too. and you realised that you couldn't be without her. you went back to her side and helped her, with everything you had, and why?"

_"Get out! Now!"_

_"because you love her."_

Mettaton stood up and lunged at him, grabbing him by his bony shoulders and slamming him into the wall.

sans barely blinked, merely shrugging and smiling once he landed, but Mettaton was furious, now.

"Why are you doing this?!" Mettaton demanded. "Why do you love to do things like this, to needle people into making them so angry?!"

He suddenly smirked, but it was not a gesture of mirth. "Is it because you're so devoid of emotion yourself that you love to make others emote? As I recall, you barely reacted when your own brother was--,"

sans's face darkened, and he shoved Mettaton back before he even finished.

Mettaton stumbled, but only a step, as he was still far stronger than sans was.

"you go too far," sans snapped, his eyes dim and his left hand twitching.

"And you think you don't?!" Mettaton shouted. "You think you haven't crossed a line by saying what you're saying?!" He felt his soul ache. "You think I don't _know_ that I love her?! You think it isn't torture to know that I can't do a damned thing about it?! That she's so happy, and it's a happiness I could never give her, ever, not even in a million years?!"

sans eyed him for a moment, before he replaced his hand back into his pocket. "so you do know she's happy, then."

"Of course I do," Mettaton answered. "What are you, daft as well as tactless? I know she's happy. She's..."

He paused, looking away, his hand on his chest. "She's _so happy._ I've never seen her so happy before, in the years that I've known her. For almost as long, I've watched as she's yearned first for Asgore, then more intensely and maturely for Undyne." He smiled weakly. "Do you know how hard it is to have to watch someone you love fall for everyone else but you? I was right there, right beside her, and all I was..."

He lowered his head, so his hair hid his misery.

"you know you're partially to blame for that," sans said, though his voice had softened. "you chose to ignore her, to push her aside, while you focused on yourself."

"I know," Mettaton agreed, his voice quiet. "Because I couldn't handle being ignored, myself."

sans sighed, then placed his hand on Mettaton's shoulder gently, surprising him into looking at him. "i'm sorry," he said honestly. "i didn't mean to explode at you. it was just driving me crazy, seeing you act like the way you've been. i knew the last straw for you would be that shooting - and i was right, wasn't i?"

Mettaton smiled wryly. "Yes. I was going to go back Underground tomorrow."

"can i change your mind?" sans wondered. "i can keep you company, be a friend for you. i..." He paused. "i'm pretty damned lonely myself, lately, for... obvious reasons."

Mettaton looked at him regretfully. "I'm sorry about what I said, about Papyrus. That was a dick move."

sans let his hand drop and he smiled, shrugging. "you could say my entire visit has been a dick move to you." He looked around. "besides, this place is pretty big, and it looks kinda lonely. i could use a place to crash while i stay on the surface for a while."

"You want to stay on the surface, now?" Mettaton wondered, surprised.

"yep," sans agreed. "i think, after what happened to alphys, i need to be. can i use your couch?"

Mettaton laughed, and this time for real, too. "You can use the bed, sans. I don't use it. I use the chair in the bedroom to charge."

"heh, thanks," sans replied. "this setting is pretty sweet, i'm not gonna lie."

"The Minister clearly cares about us," Mettaton agreed, rubbing his eyes a little. "If she's willing to put up so much expense for us."

"you trust her?" sans wondered, opening the fridge and peering inside.

"I didn't, not at first," Mettaton admitted. "But she's proven herself to me. She did the moment she set up that huge wall of human pillars at the barrier place, to keep everyone out - and everyone in."

sans found something he liked and pulled it out, closing the fridge and turning back to face Mettaton. In his hand was a very small bottle of Dijon mustard.

"then i guess that's as good a reason as any," he agreed.

He paused, then looked Mettaton right in the eyes and said, "you know, my bro was a huge fan of yours, before the shit hit the fan."

Mettaton blinked in surprise. "He was?"

"yep," sans replied, walking around and pulling out drawers until he found utensils. He grabbed a spoon, popped the mustard open, and started to eat it. "always staying up to make sure he caught your latest, be it a lame infomercial or one of your attempts at niche programing. it was really annoying."

"How are you eating that?" Mettaton answered, confused by this simple act of sans eating the mustard - and it vanishing into his mouth.

"what i'm trying to say is," sans replied, ignoring his question. "one of the reasons i came up here to help you was for him. he liked your work. i don't want you to lose that spark because of something - i know - you can't control just yet, but will, someday soon. i'm here for him, but..." He shrugged. "maybe you and i could be friends in this crazy world. i think that would make my bro happy."

Mettaton was silent for a moment, before he said, very softly, "I'm willing to try that out."

sans nodded. "cool. now go charge. you look like death."

Mettaton made a face. "I can never look like death, darling. I am gorgeous no matter what."

But he stood up and started towards the bedroom anyway.

"don't call me darling," sans answered, sounding like he wanted to vomit.

"You're not special, sans," Mettaton replied as he walked. "I call everyone 'darling', even if they're anything but."

sans snorted, holding up a thumbs-up, even though, by now, Mettaton couldn't see it. He'd definitely won that round. sans also wondered if he'd ever be able to win a round with Mettaton.

 _well,_ he thought, licking the mustard from his fingertips. _now's the chance to find out._

This would be a very interesting friendship, indeed.

* * *

Instead of falling asleep like usual, Alphys and Undyne decided to turn the TV on and watch it from their bed.

That was one of the things they liked about the hotel the most: the fact that humans liked to put their beds in the same room as their TVs. Laurel had already told them which channel was one devoted to news, so they clicked on it, hunkered down in a nest of blankets and bare skin, and watched.

At first, it was mostly about human goings-on, something that Undyne groaned at but Alphys found fascinating. She thought it was interesting, how humans could jump from one topic to another, especially when they so seemingly didn't connect or segway into each other. For example, at one point, they went straight from a news about a murder in the city to the weather.

It was strange, especially when the humans kept their composure when reporting something so dire - only to immediately switch gears into something almost cheerful and frivolous.

Undyne was lying back and on her phone when the news finally came on about the shooting at the dress shop. The moment she heard, she shot up and tossed her phone behind her, her eye wide and her mouth small. Without looking away from the screen, she grabbed Alphys's hand into hers tight, and Alphys held it between her own and in her lap, unable to ignore that it was shaking.

They were pretty calm about it while reporting it, calling Alphys by name and title and explaining that someone who appeared to be anti-monster fired a gun at her, and that she used magic to defend herself. The reporter, when they came to the magic part, looked sceptical and actually broke their impartial facade for a moment, until they got an interview on, and the owner confirmed and described it.

"She was a hero," the owner added. "She didn't even hesitate. She just defended herself and her friend, and saved them both."

Alphys felt her face burn when she heard this. She didn't feel anything like a hero. She felt like someone who'd been scared, and desperate to survive, and ensure that Mettaton survived, too; he didn't deserve to die because of her.

"I had no idea my employee was a bigot," the owner continued flatly, looking furious, now. "I've fired her, and I'm glad she was arrested. I hope the doctor presses charges, and that... that horrible person goes away for a long, long time."

Then, she said something that made both Alphys and Undyne groan in dismay.

"She was only there to get the right dress for her wedding. To be attacked, on such a special day, is disgusting."

"Fuck," Undyne groaned, covering her face and lying back again. "Fuck, fuck, _fuck."_

Alphys reacted far differently; she covered her face, too, but she hunched over and started to cry. They weren't sobs, but quiet, humiliated tears, the kind that comes with a deep shame and the desire to reverse the cause of that shame.

Undyne immediately sat up and put her arms around her, and Alphys leaned into her embrace but kept her face hidden, unable to stop her tears.

"Alphy, it's okay," Undyne murmured, kissing her cheek, then her forehead, gently, rubbing her shoulder with one hand and gently caressing her forehead with the other. "It's alright. It's not your fault."

"Yes, it is," she answered. "If I hadn't gone out, if I hadn't asked Mettaton to go to that store, if I had just stayed in and had him bring the dresses here, or--,"

"Or what, Alphy?" Undyne asked, her voice so sharp that Alphys lowered her hands and looked up at her, surprised.

Undyne looked angry, it was true, but Alphys could tell it wasn't at her. Rather, she was angry at the situation. "You hide here, always in the hotel, like someone under some kind of stupid house-arrest?"

"N-no," Alphys murmured.

"Look," Undyne continued, effortlessly pulling Alphys onto her lap and holding her close, her arms and legs around her so snugly that she immediately felt comforted and loved. "We're the ambassadors, whether we want to be or not. If we hole up in here like mice and show the humans we're scared of them, then none of them will take us seriously. And how do you think McCallion will see us, then? She'll see us as cowards, or worse - not serious about forming serious bonds between our peoples."

Alphys was quiet, her eyes on Undyne's, taking every word to heart.

Undyne smiled gently, reaching up and brushing her tears away. "By going to that store today, you obviously took a risk, one that proved to be bad. But you also showed that you're brave, and you're not gonna let anyone scare you away from trying."

Undyne kissed her nose. "And if you're anyone, Alphy, it's someone who always tries, no matter what."

Alphys bit her lip. Otherwise, she knew she would start to cry again.

"So, okay," Undyne sighed. "It's out. They know we're getting married. Laurel's gonna spazz out, but it's fine. No one knows _when,_ or even _where._ All they know is that we're planning on getting married. It's legal, according to Laurel, and I trust her. Don't you?"

Alphys nodded. By now, it was easy to trust Laurel, as it was clear that she not only liked them, but cared about them. She remembered, distantly, that when she'd been shot, Laurel had been on her phone and yelling into it - in tears. Alphys never forgot that.

"Then we gotta keep trusting her, and prove that we're not cowards. Because I sure as hell am not a coward. And Alphy," Undyne leaned over her shoulder and rested her chin on it, smiling and pressing her cheek to Alphys's. "You're not, either, no matter what you may think."

Alphys stared at her. "H-how did you...?"

"Because I know you, you nerd," Undyne replied with a kind smile.

"You... you really do, don't you?" Alphys agreed, finding herself amazed by it. She never thought, in all of the years she'd been alive, that anyone would see her as anything but a coward, especially after what she'd done with her DT research.

Now, the bravest person she'd ever known, was telling her that she was brave, too. It was enough to bring her tears back, though she struggled hard to fight them.

Undyne, however, noticed, and carefully took hold of her - she always knew how to hold her so effortlessly, with such an ease, despite Alphys being plump - and turned her around so that they faced each other.

Alphys at once hugged onto her, closing her eyes and getting lost in the feel and scent of her, and Undyne held her tight.


	9. Questions

That evening, when the police came by to take Alphys's statement, they were clearly wary of both her and Undyne.

It was obvious in the way they gave the security team - still flanking their door by at least four members - a bit of attitude, especially when they asked to make the visit quick, and to keep the door open. The officers in question - two males, both rather tall and built - seemed to take personal offence to the order, which already got them off on the wrong foot. When they were let in - and the door was kept open - this only worsened it.

Undyne didn't like them, and neither did Alphys.

Alphys was not surprised by Undyne's reaction, but was surprised by her own, as she had no reason to dislike people she'd only just met (one was named Toole and the other Rube), but she felt as if she couldn't trust them, and that in turn made her dislike them.

It was a strange feeling, as she was not the kind of person who judged based on first impressions, and yet here she was, doing just that.

It was also a confusing feeling, but she pushed it aside.

For now.

"So, you and... what was the... er...?" Toole began, once they were all seated.

Undyne had her arms and legs crossed, and her eye was narrowed. The moment he asked this, her lip curled a little, and she said, her voice flat, "His name is Mettaton."

"Uh, right, so you two were shopping for a dress for you." Toole looked very briefly at Alphys, then looked back down. His face had twitched, and with a sinking to her stomach, she recognised that look, and it made her very, very upset. "For... _your_ wedding?"

"Y-yes," Alphys murmured, her hands on her knees and her claws digging in.

"You... _you're_ getting married?" Rube asked. "Uh, is that possible?"

Alphys felt her face burn, though it wasn't from humiliation. Rather, she realised with more surprise that it was because she was trying very hard not to lose her temper.

"I... am, it is, yes," she repeated, her voice softer.

Undyne gritted her teeth, shutting her eye for a moment. They had discussed how to handle the officers before they arrived, and Undyne had promised to let Alphys handle it, lest Undyne lose her composure and yell at them.

Yet the longer this went on, the harder it was to keep silent - especially since Alphys was clearly upset; her head was lowered, and she didn't make eye-contact with anyone.

"And then, one of the clerks, the woman, came from the back room and held up a gun and shot at you?" Toole went on.

"Yes," Alphys said, her voice a little stronger. "She said, 'hey,' then held up the gun and fired it at my friend and I." She clenched her hands on her knees harder, and they shook a little. "By instinct, I used my magic and summoned up a shield that stopped the bullet, and then the other clerk and the owner subdued her."

Toole and Rube exchanged looks at the word 'magic.' "About... that," Grant broke in. "The magic thing. That's true?"

Alphys looked up, finally. "Yes."

Undyne blinked in shock, her arms lowering from her chest, as she finally caught a full glimpse of Alphys's face; she was angry, and her eyes glinted with yellow. She had _never_ seen Alphys look that way, and for a moment, it held her spellbound.

"I used magic," Alphys went on, her voice growing more confident. "We still have magic, us monsters. I wouldn't have ever used it if I didn't think my life and the life of my friend were in danger. I'm sure you saw the bullet, right?"

Toole blinked, then nodded. "It was crushed, like it had hit metal."

"Right," Alphys nodded. "So you know that nothing else but metal or magic could do such a thing. And you certainly have the eye-witness statements of both the clerk and the owner. Even the shooter, I'm sure, bragged about her attack, despite failing, right?"

Undyne stared at her, her heart racing. There was no stutter, there, and no hesitation.

Alphys was calm, and composed - and _pissed off._

"Also," Alphys added, her eyes glinting again and her face shifting, from almost scared to oddly smug, a small smile upon her lips. "My upcoming marriage is legal, and you can ask the Minister of the Underground for confirmation of that. But be sure to address her properly, as she outranks you."

Both Toole and Rube went a little pink, but Rube at least nodded. "We will have to confirm that, yes."

"Do," Alphys agreed. "And if we ever meet again, make sure to defer to me, then, as by then, _I_ will most certainly outrank you, as well."

By now, Undyne was beaming at her, her grin wide and her eye shining. She so desperately wanted to tackle Alphys and kiss her until she giggled and either begged her to stop - or begged for more.

Alphys had no idea what had come over her. All she knew was that something was off about these two, and she didn't like it. And because she didn't like it, the only way she could react was to use her words, and tell the truth. From their reactions, it was clear they hadn't expected either of those things from her, and she oddly found it satisfying to see that surprise, there.

"Do you have any more questions?" Alphys added, raising her chin a little. She oddly hoped they did. She wanted to make them more uncomfortable. She wanted to make them acknowledge their obvious prejudices, and she wanted to embarrass them for having them.

Sadly, though, that seemed to be the end of the interview. The officers exchanged a glance, nodded, and Rube said, "No, that's fine. We may need you later if she goes to trial."

"You have my number," Alphys nodded.

When she didn't get up when they did, Toole went pink again, but Alphys merely blinked at them. They saw themselves out, and the moment the door closed, Alphys leaned back and shut her eyes, sighing in relief.

Then, she felt suddenly pinned to the couch, and when she opened her eyes, there was Undyne, already on top of her and beaming at her, her green eye glowing bright, her smile so wide her teeth showed quite a bit.

Alphys blinked up at her in surprise. "H-hi?" she murmured, her eyes wide.

Undyne shifted closer, straddling her, her hands going right to Alphys's face. "Hey," she purred out, her voice low and a tone that sent Alphys into a small haze; it was _that_ voice, and she reached up and slipped her arms around Undyne's waist.

"Er," Alphys murmured. "N-not that I'm protesting, but... to what do I owe this pounce?"

Undyne nuzzled her cheek with her own in reply. "You, Alphy, are _wonderful."_

When Alphys opened her mouth to reply, Undyne spoke over her.

"You were livid, and yet you kept cool. You clearly wanted to kick the shit out of them, and you did - but with your words. And, Alphy..." Undyne nuzzled her other cheek, and Alphys had to close her eyes, her breaths quickening. "That was _fucking hot."_

Alphys laughed softly. "Undyne, you're so weird sometimes," she admitted, returning the nuzzle. "But I love you for it."

"Kiss me, then," Undyne replied with a mischievous grin, and Alphys grinned back, before doing just that.

Undyne pressed closer, deepening the kiss and holding Alphys's face so tenderly between her hands that Alphys felt a bubble of warmth deep within her belly, and she returned it, holding onto her tighter and pulling her closer.

That was as far as they got, before their phones chimed.

Undyne growled and pulled away, lowering her face to Alphys's shoulder, and Alphys shut her eyes and leaned her head back, trying to catch her breath and calm her body down. Undyne managed to get to her feet, first, though she was wobbly at the knees, and she stormed over to her phone and checked the messages.

Then she laughed, so hard she fell over and onto the chair, holding her arms over her middle. Alphys stared at her, sitting up and tilting her head to one side, genuinely confused; Undyne very rarely had a reaction like that to text messages these days, especially now that Papyrus was gone.

Curious, Alphys got up and went to her own phone and checked the message - and understood what was so funny.

 _"Why am I being snarked at by the police department? What did you two do? I thought they were only there to take your statements! Did you beat them up?!"_ It was from Laurel.

Alphys snorted, then started laughing, too, trying to stifle it but failing.

In retrospect, it wasn't exactly as funny as they thought it was, but there was something that tickled them about it. The fact that Alphys's demeanour had upset the officers so much that they immediately - barely outside of fifteen minutes from leaving - contacted Laurel and clearly complained about her, was quite amusing.

From Undyne, such a reaction was probably to be expected, even from her fellow monsters, but from Alphys?

 _"I'm sorry,"_ Alphys texted back, though it was mostly a lie. _"I may have given them a bit of a cold shoulder. I didn't lose my temper, but they were clearly prejudiced, and I wanted them to know that I knew."_

They didn't know it, but from the house she shared with Michael, it was Laurel who was now laughing to tears at that. _"Alphys, it was YOU?! That's awesome!! I'm glad, then, that you fed them their idiocies back to them, even if they didn't like it and will whine about it later. I've got your back, Queen; don't you worry."_

Undyne was still laughing, tears running down her face and her phone pressed to her chest, lying sideways on the chair.

Alphys smiled at her for a moment, something she didn't notice, but it was okay; that wasn't why she smiled at her. She thanked Laurel, set her phone aside, and got to her feet, walking over to the chair with a warm heart and a warmer belly.

Then, she pounced.

Undyne coughed in shock as Alphys landed on her, but her grin didn't fade, and her laughs started up almost immediately after, especially when she tossed her phone aside and grabbed Alphys into a better hold.

Alphys crawled atop her, this time the one straddling her, and she was grinning, now, too. Undyne took a few choked breaths, calming her laughter, and she looked up at Alphys with a teary but loving eye.

"Two more days," Alphys said softly, her face inches from Undyne's.

Undyne smiled brighter, her eye sparking with joy at those simple words. "Yeah," she agreed, her own voice soft.

"Are..." Alphys hesitated, her smile twitching a little. "Are you still sure? I'm, uh... kind of damaged... and..." She winced. "High-maintenance."

Undyne laughed at that. "And you think I'm not, Alphy?" she spluttered out. _"Please."_

Alphys pushed closer, and for a moment, Undyne's eye darkened and closed. "Undyne," she murmured, her heart racing and her hands shaking. "I don't want to lose you. E-ever."

Undyne pulled her right up against her, hooking her legs around Alphys's waist in order to do so. "Then don't let go of me, Alphy," she replied. "It's that easy."

"N-never," Alphys said shakily, her hands now on Undyne's shoulders and gripping tight. "I never want to let you go, Undyne."

Undyne stared up at her. "God," she whispered suddenly. "What... what did I ever do to deserve you, Alphy?"

"Me? What did _I_ do to deserve _you?"_ Alphys shot back.

"Shut up," Undyne said, but her voice was gentle, as were her hands on Alphys's face, pulling her close.

Before Alphys could even think of a reply, Undyne kissed her, and without hesitation, she returned it, her claws digging into Undyne's shoulders.

They didn't move from that chair for a long time after that.

* * *

 That night, Alphys had a strange dream - one that changed to a horrible nightmare.

_It started as a memory._

_She was alone in the Lab, sitting at her desk and watching several screens at once, her eyes wide and her heart racing. She was watching the thing posing as a human walk slowly along the path towards Snowdin, holding that knife in their hand. It was already covered in dust and blood, but it was still sharp._

_She grabbed her phone, her hands shaking so badly that she couldn't type - and that's where it deviated from memory. She couldn't get her claws to land on the right keys, couldn't get the phone to respond to her urgent keystrokes, and when she tried voice-to-text, the screen only showed nothing but gibberish, in strange symbols and confusing syntax. She started shouting at her phone, desperate to get it to transcribe her desperate words, trying so hard to get her warning out to Snowdin, but the phone wouldn't respond._

_She then held the phone between her hands, concentrated, and thrust a jolt of magic into it, tears of rage streaking hot down her cheeks. It exploded, and she threw its remains across the room, before scrambling to her feet and rushing out of the Lab._

_She ran to the Royal Guards and screamed at them to run, to get to the city and start evacuating. But they didn't seem to hear her; her voice wasn't working. All she could get out was a whisper, and no matter how close she got to them, they were deaf to her - even blind._

_With another shout, she started running towards Waterfall, fear making her fast, but the dream making her sluggish, so it was like she ran in place._

_No matter how hard she tried, she could only stagger towards the bridge, barely making it to the water cooler before she heard it: the sound of Undyne screaming for her, her name tearing from her throat, from pain and desperation._

_Alphys screamed in return, trying to say Undyne's name, but again only managing a whisper, and she tried to run again, only to drag her feet as though through molasses._

_Then, the screaming stopped._

_And it was replaced by childish laughter._

_And then, finally, Alphys could scream._

_She dropped to her knees and screamed Undyne's name, because she knew what that laughter meant, and knew that she'd failed everyone - especially the one person she loved the most, and wished she had died for..._

"Alphy...?"

_She tried to drag herself forward, still screaming, feeling them tear her throat, but the pain was nothing to how her heart felt. It was shattering in her chest, dissolving to pieces within her, and she still couldn't move, still couldn't get any closer..._

"Oh my god, Alphy! _Alphy!!"_

_She could hear Undyne's voice, so soft, haunting her, because she was already dead, and Alphys was doomed to be haunted by her, she deserved to be, after failing her so badly..._

_Then, she saw it: the distant figure coming towards her from across the bridge._

_The human._

_She felt rage fill her, then, a sense of raw injustice upon seeing that thing standing there, looking smug and proud and eager for more death. Blinded by her tears, Alphys screamed at it, screamed out her agony of the loss of her friend, her best friend, the woman she loved..._

_...and she saw it grin and run towards her in reply, laughing gleefully in excitement._

_"Alphys!_ Alphys, come on, wake up! _Wake up!!"_

_She struggled to her feet, her heart in pieces, and she stood there, staring the thing down as it came for her. She held her hands out, her fingers crooked and her claws sharp, and she bared her teeth, feeling her magic fill up in her and practically set her ablaze - something she could never do in real life, not then._

_The thing finally reached her, and the first thing it did was laugh and slice down that damned knife._

_The cut hurt her, so hard she screamed again, staggering, but she stayed on her feet, again that feeling of imbalance keeping her strong._

_She reached out--_

"Alphys, sweetie, _please!_ Please wake up! You're scaring me!!"

_\--closed her eyes, feeling that power engulf her, change her, empower her--_

"Alphys! _Alphys!!_ I'm here, I'm okay! Listen to me! I'm _scared,_ Alphys! Wake up! _Wake the fuck up, now, Alphys!!"_

And she felt a sharp slap to her cheek.

She gasped, jolting awake, her eyes - blazing bright, golden yellow - snapping open and already full, and she shouted, feeling herself pinned down by her shoulders. She started fighting against it, her hands sparking bright yellow, and she felt them get pinned down quickly. She bucked, trying to kick off whatever was holding her down, blind in her panic and desperate to... desperate to...

_"ALPHYS!!"_

That voice... that beautiful voice...

And suddenly she wasn't blind anymore. She could see, and above her, lit by one of the bedside lamps, was Undyne, her face pale and panicked. She was straddling Alphys, holding her down by her wrists, and suddenly she stopped fighting, her magic vanishing.

She stared up at Undyne in shock, in disbelief, gasping and sobbing for breath, her body still awash in fear.

"It's me," Undyne then said softly, seeing Alphys starting to calm down, to come back to her. "It's _me,_ sweetie. It's me. I'm okay... I'm safe, okay?"

"U-Undyne...?" Alphys whispered, her eyes searching Undyne's face desperately, expecting it to vanish into dust. "You... y-you're... a-alive?"

"Yes," Undyne agreed, carefully letting go of Alphys's wrists, instead cupping her face between them. "Yes, sweetie. I'm here. I'm right here."

 _"Undyne..."_ Alphys repeated, her voice choked, barely able to get the word out.

Alphys sat up and grabbed onto her so hard that Undyne lost her breath for a moment, but the moment she could, she held Alphys as tight as possible without hurting her, feeling her tremble and dig her claws into her back, her face buried into her neck.

"Undyne..." she sobbed again. _"Undyne..."_

She couldn't stop saying it, couldn't stop saying her name, because she was afraid that if she did, Undyne would vanish.

Undyne held her tight, closing her eye and resting her cheek atop her sweaty forehead, slowly rocking her and rubbing her back.

Alphys ended up crying herself back to sleep, before she could even explain what had happened to her. She cried herself out, then drifted off in Undyne's arms, still holding tight, even in sleep.

Undyne kept hold of her and lay them both back down, pulling the blanket over them, before she buried her face into Alphys's shoulder and had a soft, quiet weep - soon joining Alphys in a similar, exhausted sleep.


	10. Interlude One: Interrogate

sans hadn't been idle while the others had their meeting with the mayors. He had been serious when he said he had business Underground, but he didn't mention just how serious and important it actually was.

Going through Snowdin was absolutely painful, especially when the residents - who had gone back to their homes and resumed their lives, ones that were now give the anticipation of a real future - asked him question after question about what the surface was like, and when it would be their turn to go there.

He didn't have answers for them.

Or at least, he didn't have answers that they liked.

Others, those who didn't badger him about the surface, offered their sympathies over the loss of Papyrus, and he discovered that, with each one, he was unable to handle them too well. He almost preferred the badgering.

By the time he'd made it to the pathway to the Ruins, he was silent, and his eyes were dim. He pushed the doors open probably harder than he needed to, but it was better than yelling. He knew that.

He walked through the dead place quickly, wanting to get this over with.

He noticed that the dust of the old lady - no, of Toriel, the former Queen - was now gone, and in its place was what looked like a plate of pie, gone a little mouldy from clearly being left there for a while. He stopped in front of it for a moment, staring at it, before he walked on, his hands, though in his pockets, now shaking.

When he finally got to the edge of the Ruins, he stood there for a moment, waiting.

When nothing happened, he grew impatient, and snapped out, "get out here, you damned _weed."_

Finally, Flowey popped up in front of him, his stem bowed and his face wary. He said nothing, looked directly at him, so sans knew from that that he was alone.

For obvious reasons, that made him feel better, and he said, very carefully, "i know what they did."

Flowey opened his mouth, then shut it into a small line. He quivered a little, but at least he kept eye-contact.

"and clearly, so do you," sans added, making Flowey jump a little in surprise, before he winced.

"Yeah," Flowey agreed softly. "I do. They didn't tell me, but I know. That much was obvious by the fact that there's still a world to live in."

"so, you remember the white flash?"

Flowey nodded. "Remember it, and recognised it." He hesitated. "Remember, I've done almost everything before."

sans was quiet for a moment.

Then, he said, "why, though? why did they do it? what benefit would they even have, to do that? i always thought they wanted the world to end, to burn, to stop, so that they could stop, too."

"I honestly don't know," Flowey said softly, and sans believed him. "They vanished long before the whole thing happened, and they haven't come back since. Maybe _they_ don't even know."

sans thought about that. It made a perverse kind of sense, in a way. They usually didn't interfere, that human-who-no-longer-was, but this time, oddly, they did. Was it because of that other human? The one who'd taken both Flowey's powers away and also never realised who went along with them and watched as it killed?

"so, then, prince," sans said, and again Flowey flinched. "what do you think, then? what do you think of this world we're now in, we're now stuck in? there are no more resets, no more ways to make things go back." His eyes dimmed dangerously low, and his left hand twitched. "with everything and everyone we've lost, how do you think we should deal with this mess?"

Flowey lowered his petaled head as well as his gaze. "You ask me like I have all the answers, when really, I never did. I thought that much was clear by how often I reset when I could."

sans nodded. "that's a good point," he agreed.

He paused, then asked, "so, then, will you be coming to the surface, too? with or without legality?"

Flowey shuddered. "No," he answered, his voice loud and sharp. _"Never._ I never want to see that place, ever again. Not now, not ever, and not like this."

sans smiled. "good. because if you did, i would kill you."

Flowey nodded. "I know. And I would let you."

"as long as we're agreed, then," sans shrugged.

He turned around and started to leave, then paused, not turning around. "and should you see them again, tell them... tell them..."

He sighed, his shoulders lowering. "tell them, thank you. for saving my friends."

As he left Flowey behind, all Flowey could do was stare at his back in shock, speechless.


	11. Tenderness

For the first time in a while, Undyne woke up before Alphys. She stirred awake, for a moment blissfully forgetful of the night before, and she turned to find Alphys still nestled in her arms, still holding on to her, though definitely not as hard as then.

When she looked into that face she loved so much, Undyne suddenly remembered, and felt a lump form in her throat and her stomach drop, and she closed her eye and pulled Alphys to her closer, shivering a little - but not from cold.

She had woken up hearing Alphys make small, scared noises, and she had turned to her and pulled her close, just like she was now. Only, instead of waking her, those noises suddenly increased, and to Undyne's terror, Alphys started screaming and thrashing in her sleep, screaming out Undyne's name, that she was sorry, so sorry, and that she was going to kill that demon posing as a human.

Undyne had tried gently to restrain her, but Alphys had fought her with a strength she'd never known the doctor had possessed, and had to actually tackle her and pin her to the bed while yelling for her to wake up, that it was a dream, that she was safe, they both were...

And when nothing worked, to Undyne's shame, she'd slapped Alphys across the face, desperate. And it had woken her, though for a moment, she was still caught in that dream, until Undyne finally managed to wake her up - and stop her from using magic in that state of panic.

Undyne had never seen anything like it, in all of the time they'd known each other. She'd experienced Alphys having nightmares - usually about her failed experiments - but never like this, never to this degree, and never with Alphys half-awake and summoning her magic. She needed to know what had driven her fiancée to that kind of near-insanity, so that it never happened again.

Because Undyne was not going anywhere, least of all from a human, and certainly not without a fight.

But Alphys was still asleep, the kind that was heavy, and Undyne tried to wake her with subtle gestures, like gentle kisses or slight nudges, it was to no avail; Alphys would merely stir for a moment before returning back into Undyne's embrace, her snores pausing only for that long, to resume again once she was settled. Undyne decided to let her sleep, and she curled back up with her but stayed awake, her thoughts as heavy as Alphys's slumber.

Her mind was on the humans, both the ones who'd shot at Alphys, and the human who had nearly destroyed the Underground. All of this time, Undyne and those around her kept referring to that human child as an 'it' and a 'demon', one who wasn't really human at all, but playing as one who did so to lower everyone's guard in order to murder them better.

But now, Undyne wondered. As she listened to Alphys breathing softly, she wondered if they had been right to label the child that way, merely because of their murderous behaviour. She wondered if, in fact, the human child had actually been more human than anyone else, and that it was a default human setting to be a killer.

Perhaps people like Laurel and Cathy were the ones who weren't normal, and that human child actually reflected the humans far better than they ever could.

How else would she explain what happened at the dress shop? How else _could_ she explain it? This was the _third time_ a human had tried to take one of their lives, and without mercy or warning, too. The only difference was that the murderer in the Underground had succeeded, whereas the other two - technically - failed. 

 _Who is the real human representation, then?_ Undyne wondered, her eye darkening and her teeth gritting together, feeling a hot bubble of anger form in her gut. _Who is the one that actually displays what true humanity is?_

She looked down at Alphys, her heart aching again, and she closed her eye and pressed her forehead to her sleeping fiancée's, biting down on her lip hard. If it truly was the way she feared it was, then the surface was far dangerous than anyone had ever thought it could be.

And if what Alphys said was true, and that there was a group of humans working together to kill those of them already on the surface, using Alphys as their weak link...

 _Then I will kill them,_ Undyne suddenly thought, realising it was the truth.

From the start, she never wanted to resort to murder. When she'd had to, she'd felt sick inside, though relieved that by doing so, she'd saved those who were left. She didn't want to murder anyone else, because to do so would make her no better than the one whose life she'd stolen.

But if they killed one of her people - especially Alphys, like they'd practically done already - there was no question that she would resort to it again.

The thought brought that sickness back, made her eye sting with shame, but she knew, _she knew,_ that she would always pick a monster life over a human's.

She just hoped she never, ever had to.

* * *

 Alphys woke up slowly, feeling confused and with a headache. She opened her eyes slowly - and saw that Undyne was holding her and watching her sleepily, her face worried. Her face relaxed a little when their eyes met, and Undyne smiled faintly, reaching up and touching her cheek softly.

"Hi," Undyne murmured.

"H-hi," Alphys whispered, reaching up and wrapping a hand around Undyne's wrist tight. "I... I'm..." She swallowed, feeling like she wanted to cry or hide. "I-I'm so... sorry. A-about last night."

Undyne's smile faded. "Alphy, what happened?" she asked.

Alphys closed her eyes, moved closer to her, and wrapped her arms around Undyne's waist, her face buried into her chest so that she could hear her heart beating.

Then, softly and with a lot of stammering, she told her everything that had happened in the dream, shuddering a little as she had to relive it.

Undyne held her close, burying her face into the top of Alphys's shaking head, tears in her eye. She slowly rubbed Alphys's back, her other hand at the back of her neck and rubbing there, too. Alphys, by the end, was crying, too, her voice tiny as it trailed off.

For a moment, they held each other and cried, both for the fact that it happened, and how close that dream came to reality.

Then, when she could, Undyne whispered, "Thank you for telling me. I'm... I'm so sorry that... I slapped you."

Alphys dug her nails into her back, shaking her head. "I don't take it personally," she admitted. "It worked, and I know you would never have done it if you had any other choice."

Undyne nodded, gritting her teeth, still feeling that shame, but comforted that Alphys understood, regardless.

"Undyne, it's okay. I'm okay, you didn't hurt me, alright?" When she nodded, Alphys pulled her closer and closed her eyes, again.

"Alphy, I need you to promise me something, okay?" Undyne whispered after another moment. When Alphys nodded against her chest, she went on. "I need you to... I need you to not default to protecting me over yourself."

Alphys was silent. It worried Undyne, so she went on.

"I've still got six human souls. When I saw the human in the void, they told me that I could be hurt, but it would take a great deal to kill me, even without the near-immortality of the seventh. I could get hurt, get shot, but I'd fare far better than you would, even though you now have a human soul, too. But you only have _one._ It's not enough to save you if you got shot in the chest again. So, please...?" Her voice broke. "Please, Alphy... promise me. Promise me you'll think of yourself, first."

"No," Alphys answered right away, almost before she was even finished speaking. "Because when I-I think of my-myself, I think of you." She sighed. "Undyne, we've had this conversation, already..."

Undyne opened her mouth to protest, but then shut it, realising she was right. Her face burned, and she swallowed, hard. "I... I know..." she agreed softly. "You're right. I just... it scares the shit out of me, Alphy..."

"My love for you scares you?" Alphys wondered.

She knew the moment the words left her that they were unfair, and wished immediately that she hadn't said them, especially when Undyne winced, but before she could apologise, Undyne was answering.

"Sometimes," she said, her voice very soft. She pulled away, so that she could look down into Alphys's face, and right into her eyes. "Sometimes it scares me, how much you love me, how much you'd be willing to sacrifice for me. Someone who loves me that intensely... I keep thinking, that shit can't be for real, who would even want to? I'm crazy. I'm angry and violent, I'm loud and bitchy..."

Alphys shook her head. "You're not all of those things. You can be sometimes, it's true..."

She looked sad, but Undyne looked oddly comforted; she was so used to being told that she was wrong from pure flattery, so to hear Alphys be honest with her, by not only acknowledging those flaws to a degree, but accepting them, meant so much more.

"But nowhere near as badly as you think, and certainly not in a way that would scare _me_ away." She smiled, feeling her cheeks burn but her heart race. "Th-that's why I want to protect you, Undyne. And-and I'm sorry that scares you, b-but... but... I can't help it. I-I love you."

Undyne smiled at her, loving those words more than she could ever say. "Alright," she murmured. "I understand. And I also... I also think I can get over this. With your help, of course. I want... I want to..." She bit her lip, then blurted it out, "I want to be the best wife to you that anyone can ever be, okay?"

Alphys beamed up at her, and she blushed, but smiled in return, before kissing her.

Alphys returned it for a moment, then pulled away to say, "Me, too, Undyne. Always."

And when they kissed again, there was no hesitation - and no fear.

* * *

 Mettaton woke up in a different way.

When his full charge alert woke him up, he unplugged and folded the cord up and back into one of his chest compartments, then slowly got up and to his feet, his eyes falling onto the bed in front of him.

sans was a quiet sleeper, one who tended to curl up into a ball and not even use blankets. He just curled up atop the sheets and fell asleep in moments. He had passed out before Mettaton had even been plugged in. It was kind of impressive, really.

But it made him wonder: _What the hell does sans do that makes him so exhausted? He acts like all he does is loaf around and eat condiments._

Then, Mettaton almost smacked himself on the forehead. This was also the same monster who had stopped Alphys's shooter with a single raise of his hand and a point of a thin, skeletal finger. Mettaton had seen that later, when Alphys had shown them what the humans had recorded, to both himself and Asgore.

He remembered Asgore's reaction almost painfully, as the moment he saw Alphys go down, he choked and grabbed onto her so hard she dropped her phone and squawked out in surprise. It was too bad; Asgore had beat Mettaton to it, if he were honest. Alphys had then hugged him back and reassured him that she was fine, but it took a while for him to start watching again.

Mettaton couldn't watch the rest until Alphys was revived, so Asgore was braver than him in that respect.

If he thought to long about it, sans actually made him a little uncomfortable. Someone with that kind of power, and power at the blink of a literal eye, was dangerous.

_And yet..._

sans was also someone who seemed to live off of condiments and puns. He was someone who could be incredibly selfish at one moment, then fiercely defensive and loyal the next.

Mettaton wanted to ask him why. But he also didn't want to wake him up, just in case a sudden fright like that would make him attack - the last thing Mettaton needed, really.

So, he slowly left the room and closed the door behind him, picking up his phone from the counter as he did, so he could contact Napstablook and find out what was going on Underground.

 _"Is everything okay, Blooky?"_ he asked.

There was a slight pause, before he got a reply back that made him smile in a bittersweet way. _"oh, as well as it can be, metta. everyone is still scared, but seeing undyne and the doctor on tv helps us out a lot. especially after that second shooting. are... are you okay, metta? it must have been very scary for you..."_

His cousin Napsta had always been the smart one, really. Out of the four of them, Napsta was the one who found true solace in their original form, feeling no need to attach to a corporeal form like Mettaton and their two other cousins - whom everyone, with some love, called the Dummyblooks - and instead stayed home on the snail farm and enjoyed their life, there.

There were many things that Mettaton could look back on and regret, but taking the risk and leaving the farm was not one of them. But one of the things he did regret was often neglecting Napsta, especially when his multiple enterprises took his attention away from doing otherwise.

Now, though, at least they kept contact - and shared far more than they ever did, even when still living on the farm together.

And Napsta knew more about Mettaton than even Alphys did.

 _"It really was, Blooky,"_ he admitted, feeling an ache in his soul, wishing again he could cry. _"I just stood there like a stupid, dumb appliance, while she saved herself while barely batting an eye."_

_"did you know she had that kind of magic, before, metta?"_

_"Never,"_ Mettaton admitted.  _"And I never, ever want to see it again. Ever."_

But sadly, he would.


	12. Falter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some fluff.

There was a reason why Undyne had left her wedding-clothes shopping to the very day before, and it wasn't one she was very proud of, but one she nonetheless had to admit was the truth. It was shameful, stupid, and knew it would hurt Alphys if she knew, but there was no helping it: it was what it was.

Undyne was terrified.

Not of the wedding. Not of marrying Alphys. Not of being her wife or having her as her political partner and queen.

No, she was terrified all thanks to _vanity._

She knew Alphys had her dress, already, and had caught a glimpse of it in the closet.

When Alphys found out, she shouted and grabbed it off the hanger and hid it behind her back, scarlet.

"Uh," Undyne said, blinking. "Why do you look like you're hiding porn?"

Alphys went even redder, as Undyne knew that look rather well - and had seen it when they'd just been friends, too. "I-I'm n-not!" she protested truthfully. "Th-that's my... th-that's my wedding dress!"

"I know that," Undyne agreed. "I wanted to see it. Mettaton kept saying it was cute. Can you...?" Her eye got a little bright, and her smile turned shy. "Can you model it for me?"

"N-no!" Alphys cried. "Y-you can't see this before the wedding!"

"Oh," Undyne sighed, sounding disappointed. "We're doing that? Fuck."

"S-sorry," Alphys squeaked. "I-I honestly didn't know until ju-just now, either!"

"But, why?" Undyne wondered.

"B-because... because..." Alphys looked down. "I-I want you to... see me in it... and think I'm pretty... and n-not... n-not regret marrying m-me."

"Alphy..." Undyne said softly, reaching forward and touching her cheek. "You could wear sans's stupid hoodie and I'd find your just as gorgeous as you always are to me. And I _know_ I won't regret marrying you, no matter what!"

Alphys's eyes met hers and wavered, but she still insisted. "I-I still w-want to surprise you," she admitted softly.

"Alright," Undyne shrugged. "Go hide it. I won't look for it, I promise."

Alphys darted off right away, just as Undyne turned her back and stared at the closet with a smile.

 _She's so cute,_ she thought fondly, her heart stuttering a little. _I'm so lucky._

Then, she suddenly had another thought.

 _What if_ she _thinks_ I'm _ugly and regrets marrying me?_

Undyne's smile vanished, and she felt that shame fill her, coupled with sudden fear. _Is that why I've been dragging my feet?_

When she thought about it, the answer was quite obviously yes. She had put it off and put it off, because, she realised now, she feared that no matter how beautiful a garment she picked was, the only thing that would show would be her flaws: her missing her eye, the markings upon her face, her scars, her crooked teeth and their overbite...

Alphys came back, and she turned around, her stomach in knots. Alphys froze in mid-step, seeing Undyne's pale face, wide eye, and bitten lip.

"Undyne?" she said softly, closing the distance and looking up at her in worry, placing a hand on her arm. "What's wrong?"

Undyne stared at her, seeing only concern and affection, not an ounce of fear or disgust. She wasn't used to feeling this way, of caring about her looks, because she'd always liked them; she looked intimidating and fierce, like the warrior she knew she always was.

But now, looking at Alphys, she realised she wanted to show the other side of herself, the one she'd kept hidden for so long from everyone save a precious chosen few - one of which was standing right in front of her. And she wanted to do that at her own wedding.

But she didn't know _how._

"Uh," Undyne said, her voice a little hoarse. "I-I'm... I'm nervous about the wedding."

There. Not only was it the truth, it was also acceptable.

Alphys's expression softened. "What are you nervous about?" she asked, her voice just as soft. "What can I help you get through?"

Undyne stared at her. Suddenly, she couldn't speak at all. She hadn't expected that; she'd expected her to be at least a little upset. But clearly, Undyne was projecting, as she should have known by now that Alphys wouldn't be - had never been - like that with her.

"I..." Undyne sighed, then lowered her head down and rested it on Alphys's shoulder, closing her eye in defeat. "I want... you to be proud to marry me, Alphy. I haven't... chosen my wedding clothes, yet."

Alphys smiled faintly. "I know that," she said, surprising Undyne. "Because you would have shown me by now, right?"

Undyne laughed suddenly; it was true. "Yeah," she agreed, already starting to feel a little better. _How does she know how to do that so flawlessly?_ she thought fondly, her arms going around Alphys's waist.

"Well, we have three options," Alphys said. "You ask Laurel for help, you ask Mettaton for help, or you and I can go together."

Undyne blinked. "Really?" she said softly. "You... despite what you said, you would do that for me? You'd come with me and help me out?"

Alphys giggled. "I'm terrible at fashion, Undyne. You're the one who's much more at ease with it than I. But yes, of course I will, if you want me to."

Undyne closed her eye. "Yes, please," she murmured, feeling pathetic, but also incredibly comforted.

Alphys giggled again, and the sound made Undyne smile, like it always did. "Okay. I'm going to text Laurel to see if she can spare us the security, and I'm also going to ask her what shops she knows are monster-friendly. I take it you don't want a dress?"

"I never said that," Undyne said right away, surprising them both. She raised her head, and Alphys blinked up at her in obvious surprise - though she was blushing again.

"I just... am open to everything," Undyne concluded truthfully.

Alphys nodded and smiled, then gave her cheek a gentle touch before moving away to grab her phone and do as she said.

Undyne watched her, still feeling knots of nervousness and fear, but when she looked at Alphys, she felt better. There was no denying that.

"Wait, Undyne," Alphys said, pausing, her claws over the screen of her phone. "Wh-what about Asgore?" She looked up and smiled. "Why not ask Asgore?"

Undyne blinked at her in surprise, then wondered why he wasn't her first thought from the beginning, which in turn made her blush. "Actually, yeah," she agreed softly. "That would be... really nice."

Alphys grinned at her and returned to her phone, and for the hundredth time, Undyne wondered what she would do without her - and vowed never to find out.

* * *

 The moment they saw Asgore, they knew it was the right decision. He arrived at the apartment not only in tears, but grinning and holding up his phone, one that was open to several different clothing stores in the area.

Alphys smiled at Undyne, who grinned at her before throwing herself at Asgore into as tight a hug as possible, making him both laugh and wheeze.

"Please don't pick me up," he begged, and she laughed - though did have to admit later to Alphys that was about to.

She let him go, and he grinned at her.

"You have no idea how excited I am for this, Undyne," he continued.

"Well," Undyne replied, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go, then. Which store did Laurel pick?"

He blinked, then seemed to blush a little. "I'm not certain it's appropriate? She says it's a place that sells 'unisex' apparel?"

"Asgore, that just means for both men and women - everyone, really," Alphys replied with a smile.

This deepened the blush. "Ah. No wonder she laughed at me when I expressed trepidation. I'm very glad you're both far gentler with me than she is."

"H-how long do you think you'll be?" Alphys wondered.

"Pfft, an hour," Undyne replied.

Asgore blinked at her in surprise, then looked at Alphys and raised an eyebrow. She saw that look and mentally added another hour to Undyne's.

"I just wanna get this shit over with. Let's go, Dad." She grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the doorway and back into the hallway, keeping their arms hooked as they walked past the security team.

Alphys watched them go to the elevator with a smile.

Once they were gone, Alphys smiled faintly, then grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder, before going into the hallway, herself, and locking the door. She hesitated, waiting for the elevator to be long gone - confusing the security team a little - before she made her way to it and into it, swallowing a small pocket of fear as she did.

But she had to do what she was about to do, because to her, it was only right.

* * *

 "Ohh," Asgore said, blushing again once he took in the store they were now standing in. "So it's like any other store, just _called_ something funny because they don't separate by gender?"

Undyne grinned at him and nodded. "Yep."

The store was a big one, employed at the moment by five clerks but no owner on sight (the owner, though, was on his way, as once he heard two of the infamous monsters of Ebott were going to be there, he declared that he had to be there to show his support).

Before they'd even been able to step in the store, Laurel's team had gone in, closed the store, had the clerks answer a few questions and show their personal items, and then allow several of them to stay in the store while Undyne and Asgore were there. When this was all agreed to (with barely contained excitement, it must be noted), the two were finally allowed to come in, and this was Asgore's first reaction.

"Welcome!" one of the clerks said happily, their face shining. "We are so happy you've chosen us for whatever clothes you need today, Empress Undyne!"

Undyne went scarlet at that. "I'm not here as Empress," she said, snapping a little. "I'm just here as Undyne."

"Um," the clerk hesitated a little, blushing, before they managed to recover. "It feels strange to just call you that!" they continued in their cheerful voice. "May we call you both Lord and Lady?"

"We're not--," Undyne started, but Asgore placed a hand on her shoulder and silenced her.

"If that makes you feel better," he said, giving Undyne a meaningful look, the kind he gave her when he was teaching her an important lesson, "then yes, you may call us by those titles."

The clerk nodded in relief, proving Asgore right and making Undyne blush deeper.

She lowered her head and stormed to the left, her eye on the furthest place from the clerks around both her and Asgore, hoping to make them go away if she vanished within a few of the racks of clothing. She even tried to, slipping between a few of them and lowering her head, but she was too tall and her hair too bright to make this work.

Not only did Asgore find her easily, but so did one of the clerks, and not the greeting one.

"Dear," Asgore said softly, extracting her from the row of jackets easily. "Do stop being silly. I haven't seen you act this skittish since I asked you if you wanted to learn to best me."

Undyne grumbled a bit but let herself be pulled from her nest, crossing her arms over her chest like she must have back then. "Look, I don't want to make a fuss about this, okay?"

"But it's your wedding."

The clerk immediately lit up, her eyes going huge on her face, and Undyne glared at Asgore for spilling the beans.

"This is for your wedding!" the clerk said happily, clasping her hands together before her. "To the doctor, yes?"

When Undyne looked away and nodded, the clerk clapped once. "My name is Katie, and I'd love to help you find something perfect for your wedding! Do you know what you want?"

"Clothes," Undyne growled darkly, her embarrassment making her grumpy. Asgore sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder, and she relaxed, but only a little.

"Well," Katie said, clearly undeterred, which kind of made Undyne mad. "Let's pick a bit of everything and see what fits best, shall we?"

Undyne closed her eye, and Asgore nodded with a grin, looking thrilled. As much as she wanted to do this, she didn't realise how much time it would actually take - especially since she had no idea what she wanted.

This was going to be a long afternoon, indeed.

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Doctor Alphys?"

Laurel's voice over the phone was soft with concern, but Alphys was adamant. "Yes," she said, shifting from foot to foot in front of the doorway. "I need to do this."

"Alright," Laurel said. "Take two with you. Good luck."

Alphys agreed, hung up, and nodded to two of the five guards flanking her, gesturing ahead of her and to the door. They opened it slowly, then walked in, and she waited patiently as they talked to whoever was in there.

Alphys fussed nervously with her ring, feeling a nervous sweat begin, but she wasn't backing away. When the two guards came back and ushered her in, she followed without a misstep and was glad for it.

She was immediately greeted by two familiar faces, and she relaxed, smiling. She stood in the dress shop, greeted by its owner and the remaining clerk, and she was glad that her arrival was one that was welcomed. She'd feared deeply that these two people would be afraid of her, and yet she wouldn't of faulted them that. Yet here they were, smiling at her.

"I... I wanted to come back," she said softly, her hands clenched in front of her and shaking a little in her nervousness. "I-I feel terrible for wh-what happened here, for what I brought here, and... I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry that what happened, happened."

The owner smiled kindly. She was a young woman,  not that much older than Alphys, and her smile was genuine. Regardless, when she came forward to hug Alphys, the two guards flanking her stiffened a little until Alphys held up a hand, before shyly returning the hug.

 _A human is hugging me,_ she thought in surprise, finding it not unpleasant but definitely confusing. _And they seem to mean it, too. They_ want _to hug me..._

"Doctor..." the owner - named Eve - said softly. "Soon to be Queen... Truly, it is I who is sorry to you. I had no idea my staff member was a bigot. In all of the years she'd worked with us, she'd been open to so many things. But then, I realise now, those were _human things._ "

"H-how could you have kn-known?" Alphys agreed with a nod, before she pulled away shyly, and Eve nodded with a smile, too.

"However, I'm truly sorry," Eve said. "My carelessness almost cost you your life."

"So-so did mine," the male clerk murmured - his name was Kim. "I didn't notice she had a gun until too late."

"Pl-please," Alphys insisted, feeling more and more flustered, her face growing redder and redder. "I-I truly came here to ask for forgiveness, n-not to get it. You-you don't have to say these things."

"But we mean them," Kim said, and Eve nodded. "We mean them, and want to make peace with you. We want to prove to you that you can trust us - as can your friend, Mettaton."

Kim beamed, his eyes shining. "His fashions are amazing. We don't want to lose them."

Alphys suddenly laughed at this, though she didn't know why. Perhaps it was relief. Most likely it was happiness, from the fact that they held no grudge and actually welcomed her and Mettaton back.

But she laughed enough that tears came to her eyes, and the humans then actually tried to _comfort her,_ something amazing all in itself.

In the end, she left with something to decorate her tail with, and promised to return. It was a promise she would keep, for years to come.

* * *

 Undyne refused to come out of the change room, and Asgore was worried.

They'd already been there an hour, and Undyne had tried on at least ten dresses and five suits. Each time, it took her minutes to decide that she hated what she wore and handed it back over the top of the door to Asgore without his having even seen it on her.

However, this last time, she didn't make a sound (her other attempts including cursing and snide comments), and she hadn't said a word once she stopped moving (Asgore could hear that she had). He waited for her to fling whatever it was over the door, but she didn't.

She was so quiet, for so long, that he had to knock on the door, worried.

"Undyne, my dear," he said softly. "Are you alright?"

"No," she answered sharply.

Then there was a pause. "Yes."

Another pause. "No!"

"Undyne, would you like me to come in?" Asgore wondered gently, always aware that her shifts in temper weren't personal, but just her default.

There was a far longer silence this time, and he waited patiently.

Then, just as he expected, he heard her murmur, "Yes, please."

He smiled, knocked on the door first, then opened it and walked in, closing it behind him. It was small, so he stayed pressed against the door, but Undyne didn't move, so it was alright. When he finally looked at her, he was frozen, too.

Undyne was wearing a suit, one made for a human woman of her size - slim, but also slightly solid and muscular. It was just her size, baggy only a little around the wrists, but that was something she liked, so it was fine. It was a two-piece, in a solid forest green, and beneath it she wore a light green - more like white-green - short-sleeved blouse, one with a ruffled collar. She was barefoot, yes, but the rest of the suit fit her like a dream, and she even had a few buttons undone at the neck to show off her necklace - one that matched the greens of her outfit nicely.

Asgore stared at her, and felt his eyes burn. He looked away, then shrugged and looked back, figuring there was no point in trying to hide his tears from her. Instead, he grinned, and she noticed and went bright red, her own eye wavering.

"I don't look stupid," she whispered. "I don't look ugly. I actually look pretty good...?" She finally looked at Asgore through the mirror, and her face was strangely vulnerable. "Dad, do you think...? Do you think Alphy will like this? On me? And think... I'm pretty? And be proud to marry me?"

Asgore stared at her in surprise, feeling his tears fall free at this. "Undyne, of course she will," he agreed softly, reaching forward and placing his hands on her shoulders, squeezing them gently. He stood behind her, looking at her in the mirror with a wide grin and watery eyes, and soon, her smile widened, too, her hands fussing with the ruffles a little.

"I kinda like these ruffles," she admitted. "They look like froth on the shore. It's cool." She bit her lip. "Do... you think Alphy will like them, too?"

"Undyne..." Asgore said gently, and she winced, knowing that tone. She sighed, lowered her head, and closed her eye, nodding slowly, and he continued. "Why are you so frightened of this wedding? You look... stunning, my dear. Absolutely stunning."

"I..." Undyne hesitated. "I just want to make her happy. I want to make her proud. And I want her to not be ashamed of how I look."

Asgore smiled brightly at the last part, and she looked up and noticed, her eye narrowing.

"Why are you grinning, old man?" she snapped.

"Because I know how highly Alphys values your looks," he replied. "She loves you for being you, yes, but my dear, she makes it rather obvious that she also finds you very physically attractive."

Undyne blushed again. It was true, if she thought about it. Alphys always smiled at her when they looked at each other, and often her eyes traveled over her and made that smile wider - sometimes coupled with a blush.

But then Undyne reached up and touched her eyepatch, biting her lip. "I'm pretty beat up," she admitted.

"And yet she was in love with you regardless, all along, before any of this happened," Asgore replied.

Undyne blinked in surprise. That was also true. There was so much that was true.

 _And what was it that I was saying to her, just this morning? I bet if_ I _wore sans's hoodie, she'd still marry me..._

The very idea of it made her face crumple with tears, and she turned around and grabbed Asgore into a hug, burying her face into his chest and bursting into tears. Asgore smiled kindly and held her close, kissing the top of her head gently and closing his eyes.

He let her weep for a moment, but then, when she managed to calm just a bit, he had to speak.

"Undyne," he whispered. "When you came to me in the garden a month ago, I was so sure that my life was over. I was so sure that, once I made it to the Ruins, I wouldn't leave it."

Undyne nodded. She'd known that, too.

"But as I went to making things right in the Ruins again, to giving Toriel the proper rest she needed, to honour her and her hard work..."

His voice caught for a moment. "When I went through the rooms, and found so many remnants of a past we'd had... as a family..." He uttered a soft sob, then, and Undyne held him tighter, gritting her teeth as her own tears fell. "And then I realised... I'd had a family, with me, the whole time I was stuck in the past." He smiled, his eyes closed. "That family was you, Undyne."

"Dad..." she murmured, her voice wavering.

"And when I realised that, truly realised it, Undyne, I knew... I had to do something." His eyes opened, and his eyes flashed for a moment. "I couldn't just sit and rot away in the Ruins. Tori... she would have slapped me. She would have been ashamed of me. If she had known that I had abandoned you when you needed me, she would have set me on fire."

Undyne laughed softly at the image, and he smiled, happy to hear that sound at last.

"I thought of you, Undyne, doing everything I should have been doing, and doing it without complaint, without pause, and with such a huge heart..." He hugged her tighter, kissing her again. "I should have never left you alone. But in another way... I'm so glad I did, Undyne, because not only did you do it so well, but... you weren't alone. Alphys was there. Alphys was someone that I could never be to you. And I was - and still am - so glad she was there at your side, protecting you, supporting you..."

He choked again, the images of that damned newscast coming to his mind. "A father dreams of seeing their children find their true love, the one they feel complete with... and, with you, my dream has come true..."

"Shut up," Undyne begged, sobbing softly, now, worried she'd ruin the suit (though she ended up mostly crying on the front of Asgore's shirt). "Shut the hell up, Dad, please..."

Asgore laughed gently. "Alright. But with one last thing to say: Thank you, Undyne, for making that dream come true. And for being the daughter I always wanted."

"Shush," Undyne begged, losing all ability to speak after that, and Asgore held her as she sobbed again.

After a moment, there was a tentative knock at the door, and Katie said, gently, "Everything alright? Do we need another outfit?"

 _"No!"_ Undyne sobbed. "I want this one, and _I'll fight you for it!"_

Asgore laughed, so hard he had to let go of Undyne to catch his breath. Undyne blushed, reaching up and brushing her tears away, but a shy smile came to her lips, and she realised that that sick, knotted feeling in her belly, the one she'd had since morning, had finally gone.

She was ready to marry Alphys. And she would never regret it.


	13. United

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... this is also more fluff. I promised no Red Wedding, and I fucken MEANT it. Cute monster girl nerds getting married should be enjoyed by all. There was initially going to be smut in this chapter, but I had to actually move it to the next because it would have been way too long a chapter. So, no worries for this chapter, smut warning for the next!

The night before, instead of going out and trying out human party places and possibly getting drunk, Undyne and Alphys stayed alone and inside their hotel room and ordered delivery.

Mettaton was furious, as he'd wanted to check out the bars and restaurants to see if he could actually start his own kind of human alcohol, but Alphys promised him they'd do it the next week. It mollified him, but only slightly, and after he'd accepted her offer, he sent her this text:

_"So, Alphysy, for sure, for the last time, you're happy? This is what you want?"_

Undyne was currently chatting with one of the security staff at the door, who was holding their dinner.

Alphys smiled faintly, listening to her laugh, feeling that laugh punch her in the heart for the millionth time and loving it.

_"This is what I want. I'm so happy, Metta. I am so, so lucky."_

There was a small pause.

Then, _"Then I'm happy, Alphysy. That's truly what I wanted to hear. Now, enjoy your last night as a single woman... in the arms of your future wife. Have I mentioned you make no sense?"_

 _"Yes,"_ she replied with a giggle. _"But it's a compliment."_

He didn't answer anything other than a winking emoticon after that, so she put her phone to the side and went over to Undyne, hiding behind the door just in case the guard she spoke to was skittish of her looks.

"Can I have my fucking food now, James?" Undyne was saying, one eyebrow raised and her expression sour - though she was smiling a little.

With a smirk, James handed her the huge bag of food, then a smaller bag of drinks. She glowered at him, backed up, and kicked the door closed with her foot. Despite this, they could hear him laughing from behind it, anyway.

"Er," Alphys said, blinking. "What did he say that was so bad?"

"Teasing me about the wedding," Undyne growled, carrying both bags to the small kitchenette and starting to empty them as she spoke. "He asked me if wedding clothes came in armour-plated versions."

Alphys was surprised. "How does he know you used to wear armour?"

"sans," Undyne grumbled. "He's been gossipy with the guards."

Alphys rolled her eyes. Of course he would, if he was bored enough. He used to do that a lot in Snowdin, too; she'd had to hear about it from Undyne.

Alphys then went over and hovered over Undyne for a moment, watching her unpack the food, until Undyne laughed and said, "Go sit down on the bed, get into your nest, and I'll bring it over."

"Er," Alphys hesitated. "No bones, please."

"Duh, I know what you like, nerd," Undyne replied, making Alphys feel warm inside.

With a hand to her chest, she walked over to their bed and hopped into it, then buried herself as instructed, only her head and one hand visible, that hand holding the remote. "What should we watch?"

"Dunno," Undyne replied. "Either something trashy or something fun. Do they have anime channels here on the surface?"

Alphys looked it up, found one, and put it on - and was instantly enthralled. It was one she'd never seen before, and soon, Undyne was staring at the screen beside her, holding out a plate of food to her. She took it, and together, they watched, eating in surprised and happy silence.

And for the most of the night, this was how they spent it: curled up in front of the TV in bed, occasionally eating their delivery or just sitting and cuddling, entranced by the plethora of new anime they'd never seen. It might have been a boring way to spend a night to someone like Mettaton, but for Alphys and Undyne, there was nothing more perfect.

At some point, Alphys fell asleep, though she didn't remember how or when. All she remembered next was waking up to complete darkness, feeling like it was deep into the night.

Undyne was curled up beside her, sleeping deeply and holding her loosely to her chest, and Alphys smiled and nuzzled closer, thrilled when Undyne gathered her closer, even in her sleep.

Soon, she returned back into that slumber, and had no bad dreams.

It was a perfect night; a good example of what was to come.

* * *

When Alphys woke up, however, her eyes snapped open in sudden fear, and a wave of adrenaline crashed into her so hard her whole body started to tremble. This would have been fine, except that Undyne was still holding her, and she was afraid to wake her. She struggled to put as much blanket between her and Undyne as possible to muddle the feel of her trembling, but it didn't work, and she should have known better than to try; Undyne was just far too astute when it came to Alphys, especially her emotions, and she woke up within minutes of Alphys's attempts.

"Alphy," Undyne murmured, pulling her close.

Alphys jumped, startled, but that only added to her shaking, and she bit her lip and tried to disappear, but of course it didn't work.

"Alphy, why are you shaky?" Undyne wondered softly.

"I..." Alphys whispered, her voice wavering. "I'm... I-I'm... m-marrying you to-today."

Undyne opened her eye, nodding. "Yeah," she agreed, a smile playing on her lips as the words sank in for her. "And I'm marrying you, silly. Why are you scared?"

Alphys winced; Undyne always could tell, even when they'd been friends. "I... I-I... d-don't want to m-mess it all up," she blurted out, going red. "I d-don't want to f-fail you."

Undyne moved closer, pulling Alphys back towards her, so that they were spooning. "You won't. Just like I promise I won't fail you."

"I-I w-want us..." Alphys went on, her eyes shut, now, and her hands tangling in front of her. "T-to be happy."

"Alphy," Undyne murmured, smiling, still. "I'm already happy, you nerd. This is just making it official. And even then, just the first step to it. Remember, once we can, we're gonna throw a huge party, right?"

Alphys smiled finally, her eyes opening. "R-right," she agreed softly.

"So think of this as the warm-up, okay?" Undyne concluded. "We're gonna be protected, and safe, and surrounded by friends. And..." She rested her chin on Alphys's shoulder, closing her eye. "Me. You'll have me."

"Th-that's... the best part..." Alphys murmured, raising her head and angling it to look at her as best as she could.

Undyne smiled at her, then took hold of her - blankets and all - and turned her around. Alphys laughed, loving it when she did that, only to trail off once Undyne slipped beneath the blankets with her, still grinning. Alphys stared at her, her heart speeding up, but not from adrenaline, and when Undyne kissed her, she immediately clung onto her and returned it.

Admittedly, a good way to calm down before the excitement caught up with them.

* * *

 Mettaton dragged Alphys into his suite the moment he found out she was awake and about to get dressed.

The ceremony was in an hour, and Undyne had started to dress before her, causing her to shriek and cover her eyes, then blindly shove Undyne into the bathroom before Undyne remembered the discussion the day before.

Then, Alphys texted Mettaton, who came immediately and grabbed her, then shoved sans out and towards the opposite suite, presumably to help Undyne.

While Mettaton was a great help to Alphys, sans was next to useless for Undyne. Once Alphys was gone, she stormed out of the bathroom in her underwear furious, only to find him there.

Instead of either one being embarrassed, they both laughed, and Undyne added, "Why the hell are you in here?"

"i was banished," he replied. "i think i'm supposed to help you get dressed, but seeing as how you're an adult, i'll let you handle that." He paused, then noticed the leftover take-out. "is that sweet-and-sour sauce?"

Which meant that as Undyne dressed in her suit, sans distracted himself with their leftovers, including licking several of the chicken balls almost spotlessly clean of sauce before eating - or rather, nibbling at - them.

When Undyne was done dressing, she brushed her hair so that it hung around her face, then turned to sans and said, "Well, how do I look?"

As his mouth was full, all he did was raise a hand and flash her a thumbs-up.

Undyne scowled at him. "Come on, sans. What do I need to work on?"

"your foul mouth," he replied instantly between bites.

This earned him a bisected chicken ball, but he was used to that.

Thankfully, this was when there was a knock on the door, and when she opened it, she was thrilled to see Asgore there.

"Dad! Yes!" she cried, hugging onto him, before dragging him over to the full-length mirror. "Help me. How do I look?"

It was then that she noticed his expression, and she bit her lip, clearing her throat a little. Asgore was already tearing up, his hands folded in front of him, and she looked away for a moment before looking back.

"Come on, don't be a baby and tell me what I need to fix," she growled, covering up the waver in her voice.

 "Your hair," he said softly.

She handed him a brush, and he started to comb it out, then plait it, slowly at first to make sure it was tidy, before speeding up near the end. Undyne handed him a tie, and he smiled and finished it. She grinned at him, turning around, and he smiled back.

"One more thing," he said. "Do you have any... pin-things?"

Undyne blinked, but rummaged a bit before she found a bunch of bobby pins and handed them over. He turned her back towards the mirror and wrapped the braid around her head, then pinned it in place.

"There we go," he concluded happily. "There's my warrior queen."

Undyne sank her teeth down into her bottom lip, but it was no use: she was in tears.

"You... you..." She growled and turned around, grabbing him into as tight a hug as possible without hurting him - though he wheezed anyway.

When sans flashed another thumbs-up, this time with the other hand, she threw her brush at him - serving only to make him laugh.

* * *

 "So..." Alphys blushed up at Mettaton, her hands fussing with her ring in order not to mess up the dress. "H-how do I look?"

Mettaton smiled at her, one of the softest smiles she'd ever seen on his face. "You look beautiful, gorgeous," he replied, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Like I said, she'll eat you up."

Alphys hugged him tight, closing her eyes, and he hugged her as tight as he could, doing the same.

For a moment, they just hugged; Mettaton could feel her shaking, and knew she needed it - but he also needed it, too.

Then, she slowly let go and took a deep, shaky breath, then stood up straighter and rolled her shoulders back.

"Al-alright," she said, her eyes glinting in that new way that Mettaton figured he'd never get used to. "I'm ready." She grabbed his hand, and with a smile, he walked her out of the suite.

This was just as well, as at the same time, Undyne was doing the same, flanked by Asgore and sans (who had pilfered the rest of the chicken balls in his hoodie pockets and smelled oddly of deep-fried dough).

Both women froze the moment they saw each other, then lit up, walking right up to each other and pointing.

"Green!" they said at the same time, then laughed, grabbing onto each other tight, Undyne lifting Alphys off of the floor and twirling her a little, making her shriek but also giggle in delight.

"Ah!" Undyne added, once she'd set Alphys back down on her feet (but not free from her arms). "We match! We're such fucking nerds, Alphy! I didn't even know!"

"Neither did I!" Alphys agreed happily, looking Undyne over in even more delight, her tail wagging. "You look absolutely... just... you look..."

Undyne froze, staring at Alphys's face as she spoke, but she needn't of ever worried.

Alphys blushed bright red, and her eyes quickly moved back up to meet hers. "You look really, really,  _really_ good," she concluded - though her voice was high-pitched and small.

Undyne felt a wave of love and relief, and grabbed Alphys into another hug, so hard that Alphys burst into laughter again.

This was going to be a good day, indeed.

* * *

 The ceremony was quick, but it made it no less heartfelt. It was private, as no one in the media knew where or when it was being held, and the only evidence was the wall of Laurel's guards, and no one thought to look for that. Besides the two brides and their monster friends, Laurel and Michael were the only other attendants (everyone had insisted upon this, as without Laurel or Michael, there would have been no wedding).

The ceremony was held with a judge residing, and it was just like they'd seen on TV, even with the stupid part about anyone having protests. No one, of course, did.

The moment the judge said, "I now pronounce you married," Undyne was already kissing Alphys halfway through the sentence, something that Alphys had equally grabbed Undyne for.

It made pretty much everyone laugh (except the judge, who looked at Laurel with a long-suffering look, as if she'd played a joke on him), and they'd only stopped kissing once Mettaton snarked out, "Might as well glue them together, then."

That made them blush and part, but they still held each other close, and they still looked thrilled.

"Well," Asgore said happily, as he brushed away his tears. "Shall we have a good meal together and celebrate?"

"That'll get the media on our rears," Laurel answered. "But I'm willing to risk it."

As they debated where they would go and how they would go about doing it, Undyne leaned close to Alphys and whispered, "Do you feel it, Alphy?"

Alphys looked up at her, smiling so wide her cheeks her. "Feel what, Undyne?"

"Our hearts," she replied, her eye filling with tears, though she smiled brightly. "They're beating as one."

Alphys then did feel it, and she blinked, then stared up at Undyne in amazement - before grabbing her and pulling her close for another kiss.

"I love you," Undyne added between kisses.

Alphys nodded, then whispered back, "And I love you," before she paused, then added shyly, "my wife."

Undyne couldn't help herself then, she laughed, then cheered, lifting Alphys up into her arms and so high that the poor doctor got dizzy, but Undyne held her strong, so she wasn't worried.

She felt as if she would never, ever worry again - and her heart sang, right alongside Undyne's.


	14. Merge (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW/Smut warning! The important stuff that happens in this chapter will be discussed in the following one, so if you skip, you'll be fine.

The dinner they shared together was wonderful.

Laurel managed to find a local restaurant that was vouched for by both Michael and several of his staff, and it turned out to be the case, indeed. It was a sandwich place, and both Undyne and Alphys ordered small portions of almost everything, vowing to take home anything not eaten.

They were so happy, so drunk on each other already, that they even took turns feeding each other, giggling and teasing and wearing matching blushes as though no one else was there with them. And yet for those that were, it was something lovely to be witness to.

When they were full and the conversation soon became slow from said full stomachs (save from Mettaton, who looked merely tired), it was Asgore who suggested that they all meet up again the following day. This was immediately agreed upon by the brides, though Alphys looked shy doing so, as it was likely obvious why.

And yet despite that, not even Mettaton teased her or Undyne as they went back to the hotel. Instead, Mettaton was quiet, holding Alphys's hand as the car drove them back, her other hand held by Undyne.

She had honestly never felt so loved.

When they parted ways at the hotel - Mettaton with sans, again, as sans complained of being tired - Mettaton gave Alphys, then Undyne, to her surprise, a gentle kiss each on their cheeks.

Then he grinned, his cutthroat, no-shits-given grin, and shoved them both towards their suite, before turning and going to his with a wave.

sans shrugged, gave each of them a pat on their arms, and grinned. "thanks for the chicken," was all he said, before he winked and followed Mettaton down the hallway.

As Undyne unlocked their suite, Alphys tilted her head in confusion. "Why was sans thanking us for chicken?" she wondered, making Undyne laugh as she ushered her in.

"Did... did he eat all of the chicken balls?!" she added in slight distress; she'd been saving them for later.

"Alphy," Undyne replied, capturing her chin in one hand and raising it up so that Alphys was immediately focused only on her. "Forget the chicken, okay?"

"O-okay," Alphys agreed, smiling faintly, her cheeks warming up.

She instead moved closer to Undyne, reaching up and putting her arms around Undyne's neck and standing on the tips of her toes so that she could reach. Undyne lowered down a bit to make it easier, her own arms going around Alphys's waist, and they both smiled at each other, their eyes meeting.

"Hi," Undyne murmured, squeezing her gently.

"Hi," Alphys returned, her face burning and her heart racing.

"Guess what, Alphy?" Undyne continued, her voice so soft that Alphys was speechless, but she nodded.

Undyne rested her forehead upon hers and added, "You're now my queen."

Alphys closed her eyes, tightening her hold around Undyne's neck, and she nodded again, her breath catching for a moment.

"U-Undyne," she murmured, knowing that she'd probably regret what she was about to say, but she said it anyway. "Y-you... you've al-always been... mine. M-my quee--,"

Undyne kissed her before she could even finish, lifting her off of her feet and taking her breath away.

Alphys grabbed hold of her around her neck tighter, lifting herself up a little and hooking her legs around Undyne's waist, causing Undyne to stumble a little but laugh softly against her lips, her hold on Alphys's hips tightening, then slipping to the back of her knees to keep her legs in place. Alphys made a noise when that happened, the sudden bump upwards causing delightful friction, and she deepened the kiss as her claws reached up and started pulling bobby pins from Undyne's hair.

Undyne closed her eye from the feel of that, moving herself backwards blindly; she decided that whatever the back of her knees hit first would be the place where they'd stop, as now Alphys was sliding her tongue slowly along her own, and all she cared about was the feel of that - as well as wanting more.

With an urgent sound, she reached up Alphys's back, her fingers scrabbling to find a zipper but coming up empty, and she growled in frustration before she reached back down and started to bunch the dress up around Alphys's waist. Alphys clung on tighter with her arms, but pulled her tail through it and loosened her legs to make it easier for Undyne. With a happy grunt, Undyne grinned against Alphys's lips and pulled the dress over her head, then let it drop to the ground.

Alphys gripped her legs tightly around Undyne's waist again, before pulling away from the kiss to focus on unbuttoning Undyne's blouse, her hands shaky from how eager she was. She fumbled more than once, and by the time she'd managed to get a few buttons undone, Undyne's knees had found their surface, and they both toppled onto the couch, Undyne still fully dressed and Alphys only in her underwear and sitting in her lap.

Alphys paused only long enough to get comfortable, before she resumed her unbuttoning, dipping her head down and licking the curve of Undyne's neck slowly as she did.

Undyne leaned back, her eye closing and a small gasp escaping her.

Suddenly, she was fumbling, too, her hands on the hooks of Alphys's bra, taking more tries than usual to get them undone. She growled when she had to pause, squirming beneath Alphys as she lightly bit down on her neck, one of her hands slipping beneath the now-undone blouse and cupping one bra-clad breast carefully.

"Alphy," she hissed out, finally getting the damned bra undone, and she was shoving it down Alphys's shoulders and then her arms so fast that she got it caught on Alphys's wrists - making both of them laugh.

"T-take off your... your coat?" Alphys asked, leaning down and licking the other side of Undyne's neck - which didn't really help, as it distracted Undyne from doing just that, for a moment too long, before she could take both the coat and the blouse off. She shoved them to the floor, grinning when Alphys did the same to her own bra, before reaching for Undyne's.

Undyne saved her the trouble and pushed her away gently to pull it over her head, and the moment it was off, Alphys grabbed her into a tight hug and buried her hot face back into her neck, only this time, she just closed her eyes and breathed, catching her breath and enjoying Undyne's scent. Undyne leaned forward, doing the same, reaching up to finish loosening her hair, though she kept it in its braid for now.

"God," Alphys whispered into Undyne's skin, her eyes still closed but burning. She could feel Undyne's heart racing against her own, felt how warm and how smooth her skin was, could feel the slight texture that her scales gave that skin, even over tight muscles, muscles that were holding her close, closer than she'd ever been held in her entire life...

"Un-Undyne..." Her voice was choked, now, and she burrowed closer, gritting her teeth and trying to strangle the tears.

Undyne leaned down and held her, resting her lips upon the top of Alphys's head gently, her eye closed.

"Don't," Undyne whispered. "Tell me. Tell me anything and everything."

Alphys nodded. "You... you feel so... wonderful," she admitted, her claws now digging into her own arms. "You feel... y-you..."

She felt her face burn, and she raised her head, something Undyne followed with a gentle, patient smile, and their eyes met.

"You feel like a dream..." she blurted out, and Undyne's face softened, her eye filling.

"Kiss me, nerd," Undyne said, her voice a little sharp, but only because she was covering up her tears.

Alphys kissed her, gentle at first, just brushing her lips over Undyne's and letting the slightly pleasant but also ticklish feeling wash over the skin.

Then, she pressed closer, sitting up a little, before she slowly slid the very tip of her tongue over Undyne's still-closed lips. That bright green eye darkened before closing, and Alphys did it again, going the opposite way, her hands tangling back into Undyne's hair.

The third time she tried, Undyne opened her mouth and trapped her tongue, and with a gasp, Alphys jerked in her arms, pushing her hips hard against Undyne's. Undyne's eye rolled up, a spike of heat lancing into her from that, and she moaned softly, her nails digging into Alphys's back.

Alphys's hands jerked, then pulled from Undyne's hair and went immediately to her slacks, trying to find the zipper but getting confused - which only frustrated Undyne, as she wanted them off, too. She gestured, and Alphys stood up for a moment, her feet still straddling her, as she kicked them off. Then, she also kicked her underwear off, something Alphys also did while she was standing, and Undyne grabbed her hands and tugged.

Alphys sat back down, her breaths short now, and she shifted, something Undyne mirrored, squirming again a little and parting her legs, just as Alphys tightened hers around her waist.

"Don't make me beg," Undyne blurted out suddenly, and Alphys blinked at her, her eyes wide.

Alphys smiled faintly, then grabbed hold of her shoulders and pushed herself down and against Undyne, finally touching intimately. They both froze, gasping and holding onto each other, their eyes closed as they just relished in both how slick and how hot it felt.

"Thank you," Undyne gasped out, then, her eye squeezed shut and her nails digging in. "You feel so amazing, Alphy, you have no clue..."

 _"Ah..."_ Alphys whispered, her forehead resting on Undyne's chest for a moment. "If it's... even cl-close to how amazing y-you feel..." She made a small sound, then, one that made her blush, especially with how desperate it sounded.

But to Undyne, it send another spike of pure desire into her, and she pulled Alphys closer and kissed her again, something that had Alphys practically melt in her arms and return, before she started to move.

Undyne's eye closed again, that intensely sweet feeling filling her, just as it was for Alphys, who made a relieved sound against her lips, her own eyes fluttering closed as she continued to grind against Undyne.

Undyne cried out softly, meeting every shift and every move with eagerness - as well as happiness. Alphys felt the same way, making sure that Undyne knew by curling her tail around one of her thighs tight, though without pause.

Undyne pulled away from the kiss, her eye opening and one hand shakily reaching up to touch Alphys's red, sweaty face. Her eyes opened and met her gaze, and they softened in such a way that had Undyne swallowing hard. Alphys stared back at her, amazed by how open Undyne was with her emotions, how easily it was to see the amount of love and trust in that gaze, and all of it for her.

"Alphy," she whispered, staring at her in amazement. "You're so... _beautiful..."_

Alphys blinked in surprise, her mouth opening a little and her body pausing - but just for a second.

"Undyne..." she whispered, her eyes wavering.

How could she explain everything she felt, right now, at this moment, for Undyne?

"Y-you..." she stammered, trying so hard to think. "I-I f-feel... Y-ou... y-you're... _ev-everything_ to me..."

Undyne closed her eye, smiling faintly, and to Alphys's dismay, a tear slid down her cheek. She started to apologise, but Undyne leaned close and kissed her into silence, one hand at the back of her head, the other at the small of her back. Alphys slid her arms back around Undyne's neck, her fingers catching into her hair again, as their kiss - and their lovemaking - deepened.

Alphys soon felt nail bite into her skin, just as she felt the slow build deep within her, and she pulled away to gasp, clinging onto Undyne as tight as possible, her eyes still closed. Undyne leaned back, crying out in a broken keen as her nails dug in deeper, her body shaking and her heels digging into the floor. Alphys buried her face into Undyne's neck, just as Undyne did the same to her shoulder, and they both cried out, softly at first, before they couldn't control their volume any longer.

As that pleasure loosened over them, their cries did, too, as did their bodies, both groping for each other to stay together, crying out the other's name so desperately it was as though they were trying to out-shout each other.

Neither could help it; their shared pleasure was immense - and it was only starting.

Alphys suddenly reached down, pressing her hand flat between Undyne's breasts, and she reached out with her power.

Undyne's eye snapped open, the colour glowing, and she suddenly slipped her hand down and pressed it against Alphys's, reaching out with her own.

Neither knew what they were doing; only that they'd know once they'd done it.

Their magic touched, and they felt it, deep within their souls. The souls keeping Undyne's together greeted the soul keeping Alphys's together, and the moment that power mingled, it was as if they had both absorbed all seven of them at the same time, and they could feel nothing but pure light, pure magic - and pure euphoria.

It was amazing.

There was nothing that could match it.

In that single moment, Alphys was Undyne, and Undyne was Alphys.

There was nothing between them, no secrets, no mysteries - just pure, raw, unfiltered feeling - but neither felt exposed or violated. Rather, it was as if they'd been waiting for this moment, and now that it was finally here, they weren't going to let it slip through their fingers.

Alphys felt Undyne's fear of losing her to another gunshot; of her deep, always simmering-agony of losing Papyrus and all of those she'd loved; of her never being enough for someone like Alphys, who was so smart, so brave, and made her so happy that she was overwhelmed by it...

Undyne felt Alphys's constant agony of never being good enough to be loved; of the horror of the True Lab; of being abandoned by Undyne because she was too needy, too damaged, too much of a liar...

Alphys felt Undyne's love for Alphys, a bloom of light within her soul, one that seemed to be holding it together better than the souls ever did, how she'd do anything to protect her, how she adored the moments when Alphys was silly, or shy, or on a passionate tangent, or full of desire and trying to be sexy - and succeeding...

Undyne felt Alphys's love for Undyne, a blinding blanket of warmth and emotion, one that had been kept banked out of fear, only to be allowed to grow when encouraged, when held, when touched gently or whispered to kindly - or even better, nuzzled or caressed or kissed...

There was no more doubt, now.

When they both opened their eyes and looked at each other, it was with a new, mutual understanding of the other, one that made both of them weep, but from both the pain they carried and the joy of finally finding solace in the other, one that eased that burden.

They kissed, their cries mingling into one soft, harmonic sound...

And when it started to ease, they clung to each other tighter, as though doing so would draw it out.

But as their shared orgasm faded, so did that connection, and though they kept trying to use their magic to keep it, their control over it faded, overtaken by sudden exhaustion.

The kiss broke apart, Alphys collapsing atop Undyne and gasping for breath, her eyes already so heavy. Undyne held her close, leaning back against the couch, feeling boneless and so tired...

They both passed out this time, but in a way that was so peaceful, so calm, that it didn't matter.

They were together.

At that moment, all that mattered was the fact that they were together.


	15. Cherished

They slept heavily and without interruption for an hour, amazingly still sitting up on the couch while they did.

It was only when Undyne felt herself starting to fall to the side that she snapped awake, catching herself and Alphys as she did. It jolted Alphys awake, too, who grabbed onto her tightly in confusion - and to Undyne's surprise, she felt Alphys start to summon her magic, as though panicked.

"Easy..." Undyne whispered, pulling Alphys to her chest, and immediately Alphys calmed, slipping her arms around her slim waist and resting her head back on her chest, her eyes closing.

"Sorry," she added, kissing Alphys's cheek and stroking her head, tracing the ridges slowly.

"Mm..." Alphys answered, shaking her head slowly. "H-hungry."

"Ugh," Undyne leaned her head back with a huge sigh, her eye closed again. "Holy shit, me too. Why are we so hungry--?"

She trailed off, her eye snapping open again, just as Alphys's did and she sat up quickly, their eyes meeting and their expression the same one of shock.

They both started talking at the same time, then stopped - then laughed, hugging tightly onto each other in their shared, sudden glee.

"You felt it, right?" Undyne murmured, and Alphys nodded against her chest, her claws digging into Undyne's shoulders. "When you and I... and then..."

Alphys nodded again, then looked up, her eyes wide but glowing - literally - with a sheen of yellow. "When we used our magic," she agreed softly, "r-right when we were...."

She blushed, looking away shyly for a moment. "I d-don't know why I did that, Undyne, but..." She closed her eyes, smiling. "It was _wonderful."_

Undyne grinned, hugging her closer. "Me, too, I did, too!" she agreed. "I felt you, Alphy. I felt... _all_ of you. Did you... did you feel me?"

Alphys nodded. "Y-yes. S-so much, Undyne... I-I under... I understand you, better..."

Undyne felt tears come to her eye, her lips quivering a little. "Oh, god, Alphy," she whispered. "Me, too. I had no idea how you really felt about me, not like that, until we..."

"...our magic touched," Alphys finished.

"No, Alphy," Undyne answered. "Our _souls_ touched. You felt it, too, didn't you? You felt the seven of them touch each other between us. You felt how it felt for me when I first absorbed them, before I broke the barrier."

Alphys looked up at her, her own eyes full, now. "Y-you felt that w-way?" she whispered. "A-and you gave it up... for me?"

Undyne nodded immediately. "You _saw_ how I feel about you. I know you did. Or, felt it, I guess. That seems like the better word, don't you think?"

"Yes," Alphys agreed. She bit her lip, then blurted it out. "Wh-why do you...?  How c-can you...? Why d-do you... feel th-that way about me?"

Undyne smiled at her, her eye sparking, and Alphys smiled in return, blushing.

Undyne didn't even need to say it, as Alphys remembered hearing her think it, feel her feeling it, and understand that it just _was_. There didn't need to be answers like that, and that was something Alphys always had trouble with - until now.

"W-we should..." Alphys said, her eyes going thoughtful. "We sh-should try it again. Wh-when we're more... er... calm?" She smiled shyly, and Undyne laughed and nodded. "M-maybe it would still w-work?"

"Well, let's eat first, because otherwise, I'm gonna start chewing on you," Undyne replied with a grin, leaning close and gently biting Alphys's shoulder as proof, making Alphys giggle and gently push her away.

Undyne got up and stretched, then slouched for a moment, looking irritated.

Alphys blinked.

Undyne said, her voice low, "Why haven't they called yet?"

It took Alphys a moment to understand. "O-oh," she said. "Th-the mayors? Or at least, Cathy, r-right?"

When Undyne nodded and padded over to the small fridge for the leftovers, she continued. "Do you know if th-they know we got married?"

"Mm," Undyne answered, placing most of the cartons on the counter and nodding, frowning. "And I wonder if that's why we haven't heard from them, yet."

Alphys didn't like that idea, but she also knew how plausible it was, so she didn't protest. Instead, she got to her feet and grabbed her robe, shrugging it on and tying it closed, before going over to Undyne's side and helping her choose.

"Uhm, wh-where are the chicken balls?" Alphys wondered, noticing their lack.

Undyne blushed. "sans ate them all."

Alphys sighed sadly, giving Undyne a pout, but Undyne held up a mostly-full carton of noodles with a grin, so Alphys was instantly calmed.

As they got the food ready, picking what they wanted and piling it onto plates, Undyne watched Alphys closely, finding herself smiling and her cheeks warming. Alphys noticed only when they were about to go sit down on the bed, and she jumped and blushed, surprised.

Undyne leaned down and kissed her nose without a word, then walked over. Alphys followed, smiling, now.

As they ate, they didn't watch TV, but talked.

"What happened between us," Undyne said. "That's not normal, is it? During sex. Even during magical sex."

Alphys blushed faintly. "H-how would I know?" she squeaked. "You're my only partner, Undyne!"

"Don't play innocent," Undyne replied with a grin, and Alphys growled a little and went redder. "I may be your only partner, but I know _you!_ I know your certain tastes in things..." She leaned over and poked Alphys's knee, grinning wider, and Alphys sighed.

"Fine! You win! I'm a huge pervert!" Alphys cried, throwing her hands into the air, one still holding a pair of chopsticks.

"As far as I know," she continued, giving Undyne a grumpy look, one that made her happy, as she found it cute. "When I was younger, especially while studying biology, I looked up a lot about sex, and yes, sex and magic. And you're right: what happened between us, that's not normal. Th-that's why I think it's less about the sex, and more about our souls. I think sex helps, yes, but I don't think we n-need it to connect like we did. It's why I wanted to try again when we can, to test it."

"You're such a nerd, but I love it," Undyne replied. "I wanna try, too, but let's just fill up on calories; we lost a ton doing that."

Alphys blushed, eating a huge mouthful of noodles to keep herself from blurting out something stupid.

Undyne noticed and raised an eyebrow, giving her the obvious look of, 'Just say it.'

Alphys swallowed, looked away, and said, "I... really liked losing those calories," she muttered.

Undyne lit up and grinned, leaning over and kissing the tip of her nose again.

"A-and, I'm..." She hesitated, then looked back at Undyne. "...proud that you're m-my w-wife..."

Undyne sat up and tackled her, causing them both to spill some food onto the bed but without much care, as they were both laughing, now.

"Alphy!" she cried happily, giving Alphys a full-bodied hug and nuzzling their cheeks together, making Alphys laugh. "You're my wife! I'm your wife!"

Undyne laughed so cheerfully and so much that tears came to her eye - tears that were less about how hard she laughed but how much emotion she felt just from saying it. She then tried to laugh them off, but Alphys had already noticed, cupping her face between her hands and brushing the tears away with her thumbs.

"Alphy, holy fuck," Undyne whispered, her eye wide, now. "We're married. We're fucking _married!"_

She started to cry in earnest, now, but with a smile, feeling so happy that she couldn't do anything else.

Alphys bit her lip, then nodded, leaning up to press her forehead up to hers, her own eyes closing, now. For a moment, they cuddled this way, Alphys brushing Undyne's tears away while Undyne held onto her tight.

"We are," Alphys whispered, her voice wavering.

"You're my queen," Undyne whispered, and Alphys shivered a little, both from her tone as well as the words. "Alphy, I wouldn't want anyone else at my side, like this, but you."

Alphys opened her eyes and smiled, reaching down and touching the pendant around Undyne's neck gently. "I know that, now," she admitted. "In a way I never thought I could."

Undyne bit her lip, then said, very softly, "Let's try it again."

Alphys nodded, and they both sat up, getting as comfortable as possible and brushing the remnants of the food aside a little. They both sat up straight, staring right into each other's eyes, and soon, they both could feel the other stirring power in the air.

Slowly, Alphys raised her hand, her fingertips glittering with gold, as Undyne did the same, her own not just shining with blue, but sparks of other colours, too - save one: yellow.

Like she had before, Alphys was the one who touched Undyne first, placing the flat of her hand upon Undyne's chest, over her quickly-beating heart. She immediately felt a shiver of something respond, but she waited. Undyne reached beneath Alphys's robe and did the same with her hand, feeling the same reaction, and for a moment, they hesitated, their eyes bright with that magic.

Then, as if they'd planned it this way, they both reached out together, mentally this time, closing their eyes.

Immediately, it was intense.

Their magic touched, and they both gasped, before it grew and spread through their bodies like heat in the blood.

Alphys reached out more, pushing her power towards Undyne's soul, just as she felt Undyne do the same. It was easier for Undyne, as she was more powerful in both will, ease, and capacity, but Alphys found it easier to do than she'd ever imagined it.

The moment the souls touched again, they reached out with their other hands and grabbed tight, gasping again. That same euphoria filled them, and they both shuddered from how strong it was, feeling intoxicated by it.

And then, they weren't just themselves anymore, but each other, seeing the other from within as well as without, and again, their minds connected and exchanged thoughts, feelings, memories... _everything..._

Amazement was one they felt the most; it was the clearest. Neither could believe their luck at finding each other, at finding such joy and happiness amidst so much agony and pain.

Alphys started to cry, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she felt those feelings, both from herself and from Undyne, and wondered how it could be possible that they shared so much, had so much in common while still being different...

She felt Undyne let go of her other hand and brush her tears away, despite knowing that her eye was still closed, just like hers. That only brought more tears, but Undyne didn't stop, and she was grateful.

They both had the same thought: _I don't want to pull away. I don't want to let her go._

But soon, they knew they had to. They were starting to feel tired again.

Alphys allowed her hand to slowly slide down from Undyne's chest, letting the connection dissolve gently. Undyne did similar, only instead trailing her hand up to Alphys's face, to continue to brush her tears away, tears she couldn't stop no matter how hard she tried.

"Alphy," she whispered gently, though she sounded tired. She moved closer, pulling her into a close embrace, and Alphys clung to her tight, gritting her teeth.

"Alphy, it's okay, sweetie," Undyne added, kissing her forehead to emphasise this. "It's okay..."

"Undyne," Alphys managed to get out. "I... I n-never even... I st-still have trouble... be-believing you..."

"But you know I do," Undyne replied. "You know it, now. Just like I know it, too." She smiled, closing her eye, her own tears falling free. "And you have no idea how long I've waited for this day, the day I not only can call you my wife, but also realise you understand the depths of my feelings for you - and I, yours."

Alphys clung tighter, digging her nails into Undyne's back, and with a small laugh, Undyne pulled her down onto the bed with her and covered them both in the blankets. Alphys didn't hesitate to adjust the blankets and cover them both better, before hiding her face into the crook of Undyne's neck.

Undyne closed her eye, just as Alphys did the same, and with little control, they both drifted off, exhausted once more and forgetting anything else.

For now, a sweet moment, one they'd never forget.


	16. Rumours (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut warning for this chapter. I lead up to it pretty obviously, so try to read up to it before skipping, and resume (if you do) at the SECOND page break :3.

That night, after pulling the couch as close to one of the windows as possible, as well as opening the blinds as wide as they could go, Undyne held Alphys in her arms and on her lap as they watched the sun go down. They watched in complete silence, just listening to the other breathe softly or shift a little to get comfortable.

It was only when the sun was gone beneath the horizon that Undyne finally said anything.

"Alphy, you and me, we're gonna make this place right."

Alphys looked up at her, seeing that she was smiling in the dimming light, though her eye was focused and clear, its green colour glinting myriad shades as the dying rays hit it. It moved down to Alphys once, and in that space, she pulled Alphys closer and smiled wider.

Alphys leaned her head against Undyne's cheek, looking back over the display below and before them. She was smiling, now, too.

"Yes," she said softly. "We are."

* * *

 That night, after they  had supper and updated everyone both above and Underground (especially Alphys, who giggled when she changed her status from "Pathetic" to "Married" on her Undernet profile), they watched a bit of human news.

At first, it was because they were sure it was going to be boring, so they already had plans to do something else once they confirmed that.

Instead, they found something rather interesting to watch, indeed.

"They..." Undyne stared, sitting up and crossing her legs beside Alphys, who was also sitting up, though Alphys was on her hands and knees, her eyes huge on her face and her expression dismayed.

"They're fucking _gossipping_ about us?!" Undyne finished, spitting out the words with her eye narrowed.

"I can't look away," Alphys agreed, her voice tiny and barely above a squeak.

It was indeed gossip, and for sure about them. They watched in fascinated horror.

"--news today of a secret wedding that has taken place between now-well-known monsters Empress Undyne and her partner, Doctor Alphys. Of course we all knew that they were engaged, but this is shocking, to say the least, as sources say it's completely legal here on the surface." The man saying this looked very confused by this, and he turned to his co-anchor.

"Indeed," she replied, her eyebrows going up. "I find it interesting that, while the rest of the population of monsters are stuck underground, their so-called leaders are gallivanting around on the surface having the time of their lives."

"Bit harsh, don't you think?" her friend asked.

"No less true, don't you realise?" she replied cheerfully. "They don't even have the right to own land and yet here we are."

"Apparently, it's because the Minister of the Underground pulled some strings?"

"And how did she manage that?"

"Some say it's something they wrote ages ago when the barrier went up, or after." He paused. "They can't be that selfish, can they?"

"Oh, they're selfish," the woman replied easily. "There's no question. If I were a monster still trapped Underground, I would be less than pleased upon hearing this news."

Undyne snarled, finally having enough, and she turned the TV off before she threw the remote across the room. It smacked into the wall so hard it not only left a dent, but broke a little.

She didn't care. She would have thrown it at the TV if she thought it would help.

Alphys lowered back onto the bed and lowered her head into her hands, her breaths shaky. It took a second for Undyne to understand what she kept repeating, and once she did, she was angry.

"I'm so sorry, Undyne, oh my god, oh my god, I'm so sorry..."

Undyne moved over to her and covered her mouth, surprising her into jumping and lowering her hands in surprise. Undyne trained her glare on her, and she blushed, trying to speak again, but nothing coherent came out, and she glared, this time, her hands falling flat in her lap.

"Do you understand why I've muted you?" Undyne wondered, raising an eyebrow but keeping her tone calm.

Alphys nodded with a sigh, and Undyne lowered her hand.

"I-I'm s-sorry," she blurted out, then grabbed Undyne's hand before she could cover her mouth again. "F-for saying sorry!" she added, and Undyne smiled, dropping her hand.

"It's my default setting, Undyne!" she then murmured. "When something bad happens, I always feel it's my fault."

Undyne crawled closer, cupping her hands around her face, her smile still gentle. "I know, but god, Alphy, to say it over what humans say?"

"W-we wouldn't b-be goss-gossipped about if it w-weren't for me," Alphys murmured, closing her eyes. "B-because we got married."

"Hey, Alphy?"

She opened her eyes and nodded, bemused by Undyne's suddenly wild grin.

"You're my fucking _wife,_ Alphy," she replied, pressing her forehead to Alphys's and closing her eye.

Alphys shivered; the tone of voice that Undyne used was one that was so happy, so thrilled, that it made her happy just hearing it.

"And the reality of that means _way_ more to me than what a bunch of dumbass humans snark about us, okay?"

"Y-you're not em-embarrassed?" Alphys murmured, her eyes still closed.

"Alphy, fuh," Undyne growled, cutting herself off before she could say something she'd probably regret and hurt Alphys, though her intention was the opposite. "The day I'm embarrassed of you, Alphy, is the day you fucking divorce me and take me for everything I own, do you understand me?!"

Alphys opened her eyes, just as Undyne opened hers, and they looked at each other. "I-I'm just s-so used to..."

"I know," Undyne interrupted softly, kissing the tip of her nose gently. "But like I said, Alphy: I'm not using you."

She paused, then grinned mischievously. "Except for... _this!"_

And she tackled Alphys onto the bed and started covering her face with loud kisses, and Alphys burst into giggles, squirming and trying to push her away - but only halfheartedly.

When she stopped, and Alphys caught her breath, Undyne grinned down at her.

"Alphy," she said, her hands reaching up - and under her shirt, touching her belly gently, which made Alphys's eyes flutter closed. "I don't give a flying water sausage what anyone thinks of us - least of all _humans."_

She lay down beside Alphys, pressing close, and one hand went to the back of Alphys's head, the fingers of her other dancing lightly still over her stomach, making her shiver again.

"I care about what _you_ think, and what _I_ think, and _I_ think you're _wonderful..."_ She led Alphys's face closer to hers, and Alphys's eyes opened slowly, their colour glazed over and dark.

"Undyne..." Alphys whispered, reaching up and touching her cheek, reaching up and kissing right below her left eye's empty socket (as she was too lazy to wear the eyepatch). Undyne's eye closed, swallowing hard as that tender gesture struck her soul deeply. "I... I think you... you're the best thing to ever happen to me..."

"You always gotta best me, huh?" Undyne murmured teasingly, and Alphys smiled back in return - before her eyes closed again, just as Undyne's hand cupped her breast and ran its thumb over her nipple.

"Hm..." She pressed closer, nuzzling her cheek against Alphys's, and Alphys turned her head and kissed her, her other hand going to Undyne's shoulder. It was gentle, but Undyne's fingers were nimble, and she slipped them beneath her bra and over the soft curve of her breast. Alphys's claws dug into her shoulder, jerking a little, and suddenly Undyne wanted her to do more than just jump.

Undyne tugged Alphys's shirt up, and Alphys grabbed it and pulled it off over her head, breaking from their kiss to do only that, her breaths suddenly short and quick. Undyne reached her hands back and undid Alphys's bra, then pulled it off.

Alphys then sat up and tried to do the same for her, but Undyne pushed her back down gently, bringing a confused look to her face, one that Undyne grinned at. She leaned down and licked the curve of Alphys's neck slowly, and she felt her wife (thinking of Alphys in that way brought a small thrill to her soul) shudder, reaching up and holding onto Undyne's shoulders.

Undyne then slid one hand around Alphys's breast, before trailing her tongue over the hard nipple of the other. She heard Alphys hiss out her name, squirming again beneath her, and this only proved to turn Undyne on even more - which made her want to _do_ more.

She reached down with her free hand as she switched to the other breast, hooking her fingers around the button and then zipper of Alphys's jeans, before she tugged then down. Alphys raised her hips a little to make it easier, and soon Alphys was stark naked beneath Undyne's still fully-dressed body.

For Alphys, the feeling was amazingly sensual, and she pulled Undyne close to her for a moment to feel it, closing her eyes.

Undyne hugged her in return, kissing along her neck again gently, before she pulled back a little to move her hand down - and between Alphys's legs.

The moment her fingers met the sensitive folds of skin, Alphys gasped and arched back, her hands grabbing onto Undyne's arm tight, her tail jerking a little before hooking around one of Undyne's thighs. To Undyne's delight, Alphys was already slick, which was perfect for what she had in mind.

Undyne started nibbling a little on Alphys's neck, then moved her hands along Alphys's slit, before very gently and slowly pushing two fingers deep into her centre. Again, Alphys squirmed, only this time she cried out, her face going red.

Undyne crooked her fingers carefully, searching for a moment, and once they found what they sought, Alphys practically lost all of her bones beneath her, relaxing with a moan so soft and relieved that Undyne was the one squirming a little, getting aroused from it.

"Undyne," Alphys gasped out, her voice thick and her eyes shut tight, her head thrown back on the pillow as she held onto Undyne's moving arm, moving along with it and sometimes pushing or pulling her arm to adjust it.

Undyne watched her closely, her eye flashing and her own face red, but she was grinning.

One of the best things in the world for Undyne was making someone happy, and to be able to do this for Alphys, in such an intimate way, made _her_ happy, too. She pressed closer and rubbed down harder, and Alphys arched her back a little and gritted her teeth, cutting herself off from gasping again.

That was something Undyne would not allow, so with a smirk, now, she pushed even closer and started moving her hand faster, making sure she hit that spot every single time.

Soon, Alphys was frantic, her hands scrabbling at Undyne's arm and her body moving with her fingers' strokes. She was crying out, unable to clamp down on her volume the closer she got, and honestly, Undyne liked it that way. She knew that Alphys could be loud; she just had to find the right method to make it happen.

Or press the right button.

 _"Undyne...!"_ Alphys then shouted out, her claws digging in hard as her body stiffened and arched up again, her eyes opening wide and flashing with yellow for a moment, and Undyne closed her eye and kissed her lips, feeling her body start to lose control as she started to come.

Alphys groaned against her lips, her eyes rolling up and closing again as she peaked, and soon, Undyne slowed down her hand, then stopped it.

Alphys dropped onto the bed, gasping for breath and covered in sweat, her hands still holding onto Undyne's arm, only now they were loose, as was her tail on Undyne's thigh. Undyne withdrew her hand, and Alphys shifted a little and swallowed hard, but didn't protest.

While Alphys's eyes were still closed, Undyne carefully licked her fingers, unable to resist; she loved the way Alphys tasted, but knew it made Alphys shy.

Then, she lay down next to Alphys, who swallowed again and made a small, satisfied sound, her eyes still closed and her body limp.

When she started to move lower, Alphys's hand shot out and grabbed her arm, stopping her. She was shaking her head, so Undyne stopped and moved back up.

"S-so... t-tired, now," Alphys admitted, cuddling up next to Undyne immediately. "I-I'd recip-recip-reciprocate, b-but..."

"Shush," Undyne answered, kissing her forehead and making her smile. "I didn't do that for cash back, Alphy, you nerd," she elaborated, and Alphys giggled tiredly. "I did it for that, that adorable giggle."

Alphys bit her lip, then, her eyes opening in surprise from that. "Undyne," she murmured, "can we... cuddle, but with you...?" She waved her hand at Undyne a little, then just blurted it out. "Can we have a naked cuddle?"

Undyne laughed, then nodded, throwing her shirt and pants off with a flourish that made Alphys laugh again. She then stood up on the bed and did a little jig as she made her way out of her underwear, kicking it off of one leg first, then sliding it down the other, holding it up in the air with one toe and balancing, making Alphys laugh so hard she was snorting, and covering her face.

Undyne kicked the underwear to the floor, then let herself drop back down on the bed beside Alphys, making them both bounce a little. Alphys uncurled, though she still laughed, and grabbed Undyne to her, holding her tight, something Undyne gladly returned, as well as the laughter.

When they were both calm - though it took a while, as something or another seemed to set them off again into another giggle-fit - they snuggled close, skin-to-skin, and for a moment just remained that way, breathing gently against each other and listening to it, as well as feeling the other's heart beating against their own.

"Undyne," Alphys whispered, then, feeling herself dropping off. "I... I'm so lucky you love me... I love you so much."

Undyne kissed her gently, then whispered back, "I love you, too. Now go to sleep."

Alphys soon did, and she had lovely dreams.

* * *

That night, however, Undyne woke up in the middle of it.

She checked her phone, noticing that it was around 4am, and she crawled slowly out of bed and to her feet, before she padded over to the couch that was still in front of the window. She perched on the armrest of the couch, her eye narrowed and focused on what was before her.

Nighttime made the city look almost mystical, with its thousands of electric lights glittering in the distances, the sleepy sounds of waking birds, or the almost-alien sound of a car going down the roads. She watched it all, listened to it all, sharply, as though she were on guard duty at the castle in New Home.

 _This is our future,_ she thought, though she was frowning. _This is our future, and yet the humans still want to play with us. They see us not as something real, as something tangible or threatening, but as something to laugh off. We're not people to them, yet - not really._

_Why else is it so easy for them to mock us?_

_Why are they mocking us for wanting to share with them? Why are they punishing us for wanting to be their friends, their allies, their fellows, here on this beautiful paradise?_

_Don't they understand what it even means to us? How much it means to us?_

_And all they can focus on is insulting Alphy and I, of trying to shame us for managing to find love in this hell? A hell that one of them created just for us?_

"Undyne?"

She jumped, and there stood her wife, rubbing tired eyes and walking heavily in her sleepy state, so sleepy that she complete eschewed a robe or nightgown when getting up to follow her.

Undyne smiled at her, lowering down to the seat of the couch, and Alphys immediately crawled up onto it and beside her, cuddling up next to her and sighing deeply in content.

"What are you stewing?" Alphys then wondered, her voice low but serious. She was sleepy, yes, but not enough to ignore that.

"Humans confuse the hell out of me, Alphy," Undyne admitted, her eye back on the window. "Do you think they'll ever take us seriously?"

Alphys's eyes were closed, as she wouldn't be able to see much if they were open, anyway. "Honestly, Undyne?" she murmured. "No. If they haven't been able to by now, after trying to kill us twice, then they never will. At least, this generation won't. They either see us as something to play with, or something to destroy."

It was strangely cynical of Alphys to say something like this, and Undyne realised that when Alphys's guard was down, she let slip a lot of what she kept bottled up inside.

Oddly, hearing her own deepest doubts come from Alphys's mouth was comforting.

"Yeah," she sighed. "That's what I was afraid of, honestly. But Laurel and Michael and Cathy... they're not like that. Hell, even those other mayors seemed to like us."

Alphys nodded into her shoulder. "True. And the nice people in the shops have been amazing. Berenice? I really liked her. And I made friends with the dress shop staff, too, the other day. It's possible that there are people who aren't stupid wastes of air like those asinine, overly-made-up dingleberries."

Undyne snorted out a laugh at that, and Alphys smiled, cuddling closer.

"Listen, Undyne," Alphys then said, her voice so soft that Undyne listened hard. "They're going to treat us like this for a while, I meant that. But something will, I know, make them see us for what we actually are, and not what they're expecting us to be. You're the one who's going to make it happen, because already you've proven to the world what monsters can be - and what they don't have to be."

Undyne bit her lip, closing her eye and pulling Alphys closer, kissing the top of her head. "Thank you," she whispered, and Alphys merely hugged onto her tighter.

Though Alphys fell asleep in her arms again soon after, Undyne stayed awake to watch the sun rise, her thoughts swirling around her, still.


	17. Acceptance

Mettaton spent the evening of the day of his best friend's marriage lying on the couch in the hotel suite and staring at the TV.

He barely took in what he was seeing, let alone what he was hearing. He didn't realise he was just watching the weather channel, that was how out of it he was.

He wanted to be happy. He wanted to be cheerful. He wanted to be proud.

But all he felt was blank.

Because if he let himself feel anything else, anything at all, it would be none of the aforementioned, but their opposites.

He remembered so much when it came to caring about Alphys when she got into these moods. Even before he'd had a body, they were still tentative friends, and she would sometimes reach out to him online and talk about how she felt.

Back then, he'd tried to help her as best as he could, but he couldn't really relate; for him, she had everything she needed, so why was she upset? Even before the events that happened in the True Lab, she'd always had that curtain around her.

It was only when he'd started living with her that he started to understand her better, and realise that it was less about what she already had and more about something in her brain. She'd tried to explain it to him once - complete with diagrams of a brain as she explained - but even now, a lot of that was white noise.

He just didn't understand how someone could be sad for the sake of being sad.

He was sad for a reason, now, and he imagined it was similar to how Alphys felt when she was sad without one (or at least, without one that he could understand). It _hurt,_ and it explained why, whenever he'd meet up with her in the fake lab, she would sometimes refuse to get out of bed or just lie there weeping in silence.

The irony of the reason of his sadness being Alphys, herself, was not lost on Mettaton, but he didn't appreciate it. It certainly didn't make it easier to bear, that was for sure.

The problem was, he was able to find ways to comfort Alphys. He would make sure she ate at least ramen and drank at least one bottle of something sugary, as well as make sure she was warm and had something to distract her, like something to watch - instead of just letting her thoughts eat her up.

She seemed to really appreciate everything he did for her, and every time she got out of bed, she would always make sure to hug him in gratitude.

But Mettaton had replicated those same things for himself to the best of his ability, and he still didn't feel any better. He was fully charged, was watching something, and even put a blanket over him, though he didn't feel temperature variance thanks to his advanced cooling and warming systems.

Nothing made a difference, although again he had the urge to weep, but couldn't.

sans then walked in from the bedroom, took in the Mettaton-shaped lump on the couch watching air-mass patterns going through the northern provinces, shrugged, and veered to the fridge, opening it and rummaging around.

"hey," he said from the fridge. "can you process anything edible?"

Mettaton blinked slowly, taking several minutes to understand that sans was not only talking, but talking to him and expecting an answer. His eyes shifted from the screen to sans, who was kneeling in front of the fridge and taking out several small bottles of multiple colours and setting them on the counter.

"You mean," Mettaton answered, his voice sharp. "Is it possible for me to get drunk?"

"yup," sans agreed, not at all intimidated. "that's exactly what i mean. can you get drunk? 'cuz if you can, we're gonna have a fun night."

 _"You_ can get drunk? Mettaton wondered, slowly sitting up in surprise.

"i didn't even know it until recently, myself," sans replied, still pulling small bottles out - as well as two water bottles. "you imagine why, though, right?"

"Yeah," Mettaton agreed, his voice soft, feeling a sinking deep in his soul. "I understand that."

"well, while it's not even on the same spectrum, i know you're hurting like a bastard right now," sans finally explained, closing the fridge and scooping all of the bottles on top of his held-out hoodie, using it like a basket to bright the drinks over to the couch.

"I'm fine," Mettaton muttered, looking away.

"sure ya are," sans snorted. "so can you get drunk or not?"

Mettaton rolled his eyes and grabbed one of the bottles - a bright green one, the first to catch his eye - and held it.

"I can, but Alphys never let me. She said it was too risky sometimes, not knowing what some liquids could do to the stability of my connection to my body, especially if the alcohol was made traditionally, with magic. It remember her saying it held the risk of my being driven out of my body." He smiled, playing with the bottle a little. "Then she sighed said admitted that even if that happened, I could always just reconnect, now that I knew instinctively how."

"does it make you shitfaced is what i'm asking you, not whether or not you can give me a science lecture."

"Yes," Mettaton finally agreed. "Alphys and I fought about it for an hour, as it's possible for ghosts to not only eat but also drink, but in the end we compromised: no food, but drinks were fine."

"why not food?" sans wondered.

"It would be a waste," Mettaton shrugged. "I would have to be equipped with a small kind of incinerator to take care of the food, and I would derive no energy from it."

"so why would drinking, especially alcohol, be different?"

"That's what the fight was about, too: building my body to be able to not only break down the components in alcohol, but make it useful, so I wouldn't be wasting anything."

He laughed softly, but inside, he felt very sad.

"She made it work, though it took her twice as long as it would have for any other modification, but she made sure I knew she was pissed off with me over it, and would never let me live it down. She said to only drink alcohol if I was in trouble of losing my charge, as it would convert the alcohol to emergency fuel."

sans was thoughtful for a moment. "and that wouldn't make you drunk; it would just make you still work."

"No, it would intoxicate me," Mettaton corrected. "But at least I'd be alive. The still-organic components of me still feel those altering effects, so I'd not only be tired but also stupid and stumbly. But it was the only way for me to get her to install the driver."

He sighed. "Because I figured, as a star, I'd need to be able to drink to be fashionable and more relateable to those who would become my fans, you know?"

"does it look like i know about that kind of thing?" sans wondered with a smile.

Mettaton laughed a little, though again, it was sad.

"look, i'll watch you, okay?" he then added, surprising Mettaton. "if it looks like you're about to short-out, i'll not only stop you, but get the doc. okay?"

Mettaton nodded. "Alright." He finally twisted the top off of the bottle and took a sip.

"all you had to say, by the way, was yes," sans added, grabbing a bottle of his own. He turned to the TV and made a face, then changed it to a comedy network.

"But now you know more about me," Mettaton replied, taking a bigger mouthful this time.

It was strange to do this, as he had very mild taste receptors, and the alcohol didn't burn the way it would for a human or a monster. Instead, a slightly coppery taste lingered in his mouth that tingled a little, but otherwise was fine.

sans rolled his eyes and nursed his drink, while Mettaton finished his first and went to a second one, this one a dark blue. "mettaton, why are you in love with the doc?" he wondered easily, not even looking at him as he asked.

Mettaton glared at him for a solid minute before answering, deciding there was no point in trying to made sans regret asking that.

Instead, he answered honestly.

"I'm not sure. I like her sense of humour, her passion, and how smart she is. We used to spend hours and hours on scientific discourse together. It was one of the many things we had in common. She's smarter than me, but never made me feel stupid, even though I'm pretty smart, myself." He looked wistful. "And she always cared about me. Always. If she had new ideas for my body, she'd show me. If she had concerns, she'd voice them. She'd make sure everything was in order for me every day."

He gulped down another generous shot. "It was only when she suggested that stupid scheme of hers that I felt, for the first time, angry with her."

sans blinked in surprise. "scheme?"

"Yeah," Mettaton grabbed three more small bottles, blinking heavily. He already felt both oddly energetic and confusingly tired. "She wanted to befriend a human. We both did, actually. So she wanted to play the hero, while she made me into a kind of foe she could vanquish to make herself endearing to the human."

sans burst out a laugh at that. "wow, that does sound like her. she wanted to be a hero for the human?"

Mettaton nodded, though he was mad that sans was laughing. "We like humans. We met through a mutual admiration of human culture. We were sure that, if humans were the way they were in their media, they couldn't be the demons they'd once been on the surface with us. We wanted to make a human friend, and prove that monsters and humans could like each other just fine."

He raised his eyebrows and emptied the bottle he held before he went on. "That went well, huh?"

"hey, give yourself a break. you both had your hearts in the right place."

"Well, I was going to... go along with it," Mettaton continued, sighing a little. "But I was really pissed off. I, uh, kinda wanted to be the hero, and wanted her to play mad scientist..."

He smiled faintly. "She started to cry, and not to manipulate me, either. The moment those two words came out of my speakers, her face fell, and I wanted to explode. Literally."

"hit a nerve, huh?"

"And sliced it neatly in half," Mettaton agreed, opening another bottle. "I actually thought she was manipulating me when she started crying, and yelled at her that it was cruel to do that. She just..."

His eyes unfocused, and he bit his lip. "She just looked away and covered her face, but didn't stop crying. And that made _me_ wish I could cry. Because I really hurt her."

"she obviously forgave you," sans said gently.

"Yeah," Mettaton agreed. "But... sometimes I look back at that and wonder..." He frowned. "Was that when I lost her?"

"you lost me, i'll admit that."

"What I mean is..." Mettaton leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand, his elbow on his knee. "Fuck. Did I lose her when I said that to her? Did I ruin everything because of one petty, bitchy mistake?"

"i dunno. lemme ask you something in return: did you ever get the sense that you had a chance with her? that the feeling was mutual?"

Mettaton had to think about it, surprised. He was a little slow on the process, it was true, but he did manage to focus enough to think about it.

"Near the beginning, maybe. Before she started working for Asgore. She seemed to really want to spend time with me. But I..." He sighed yet again, closing his eyes and wincing in shame. "... thought she was a loser, at first. She intrigued me, I wanted to get to know her, but she was off-putting with how obsessive she could be. When she seemed to get the message and backed off, that was when Asgore also contacted her."

Mettaton opened his eyes slowly. "That's it. That's where I lost her."

"you think you had her?"

This made him look over at sans in surprise - and some anger, really - until he realised that sans was looking back at him already, looking mildly surprised. It disarmed him, really, and made him pause.

Because in truth, the fact was, he'd _never_ had her. He ignored her when she reached out, and then became jealous when she reached away.

"Oh, _fuck_ me," Mettaton groaned, leaning over and covering his face with one hand, the other still holding the bottle. "I'm the _fucking_ dog in the _fucking_ manger."

sans nodded, raised his own bottle, and clinked it lightly with Mettaton's before sipping from it. "ya got it. good boy. wanna cookie?"

"I do love her, ass," Mettaton snapped, feeling both humiliated and angry about it. "Absolutely, I do. But you're right and I hate you for it, and I hate myself for not seeing it at all. Fuck."

He tapped on his forehead with his fist a little. "Fuck, fuck, _fuck."_

sans was silent for a moment, before he asked, very gently, "your mouth gets vile when you drink. undyne would be proud."

_Undyne._

Mettaton opened his eyes and bit down on his lip, all thoughts now on Undyne. She was so loud, so rude, and so without grace or flare that it was easy to get into arguments with her.

_But then again..._

He closed his eyes, his soul aching, when he pictured Undyne beside Alphys - and saw someone completely different.

Around Alphys, Undyne could be all of those things, true, but never directed _towards_ Alphys, and that was important. She never ridiculed Alphys, never made her feel stupid or bad if she screwed up, and certainly would never call her stupid names and make her cry. She instead made sure that everything she did was to help Alphys stay on her feet, buoy her up, and make her see that she really was as amazing as Undyne thought she was.

Mettaton had never done any of that. He took care of her when he needed to, but he couldn't confidently say he'd done the rest. Not without some kind of self-serving perspective on it.

And even _he_ knew Undyne was selfless when she did those things for Alphys.

"Undyne..." Mettaton muttered.

sans looked over, bracing himself for whatever was about to be snarled out.

Instead, all was added to that was, "She's going to be a great wife to Alphysy. Hell, she already is. I'm just too stupid to have seen it before now."

sans grinned, finally, reaching over and patting Mettaton's shoulder.

Mettaton swatted him away angrily, making him laugh, but it did the trick, and he did feel a little better. He sat up and frowned at the little bottle in his hand, then looked back at sans.

"You said you'd watch over me, right?"

sans nodded.

"Awesome," he replied, opening the bottle. "I'm getting shitfaced, and then I'm moving the fuck on."

"that's the _spirit,"_ sans replied, then he snorted a little and laughed at his own joke; clearly, he was started to feel the drink, now, too. "get it? because you're a ghost, but you're also drinking, it's the best pun and you know it..."

He paused, his face falling, now. "come on, dude, just _pity laugh."_

Mettaton burst into laughter at that, but not from pity.

It ended up being a really good night - for them both.


	18. Bridge

When Alphys woke up next, she was alone.

Confused, she sat up and looked around, and found Undyne asleep on the couch, sprawled out on her back with her arm over her eyes. She blinked, even more confused, and grabbed her glasses before she got up and went over to her, stretching and yawning along the way.

Part of her was trying to remind herself to cover up, but the other part, the one that was awakening within her more and more, found it easy to ignore. When it came to modesty around Undyne, what was the point, especially now? They were married, and they were also connected in a way that left _everything_ naked between them.

She stopped in front of the couch and knelt down, then gently touched Undyne's shoulder, squeezing at first, then gently nudging.

Undyne snapped awake and sat up like a shot, before she blinked, looked down, and saw Alphys with her hand still up. She then immediately lit up and grinned, moving back in order to have Alphys's hand back on her, again.

"Hi!" she said, and Alphys giggled, placing her hand on her back, and Undyne leaned down and hugged her tight. "You're naked!" she added.

"So?" Alphys replied, delighting her. "Did you put me back in bed and spend the night here?"

Undyne sighed and pulled away, blushing. "Yeah," she agreed, scratching at her cheek a little.

Alphys frowned and moved to sit down beside her, taking her hand. Her expression was full of concern. "What h-happened?" she asked softly. "U-uh, you-you're n-not..."

Undyne glared at her, her smile vanishing, and Alphys blushed this time, looking away a little.

"S-sorry. I-it's just... still n-new..." She swallowed hard, embarrassed to feel tears coming to her.

Undyne put an arm around her and kissed the top of her head before resting her cheek there. Alphys immediately snuggled close, and this made Undyne feel better, as she didn't hesitate.

It was as if Alphys was almost completely confident, but there was still that part that just couldn't get there. She wondered if Alphys would always have that part, and there was nothing she could do to change that.

 _Well,_ Undyne smiled faintly, closing her eye. _I may not be able to change it, but I can do everything I can to try..._

"The married part is new," she said softly, "but it's just a formality, Alphy. When it comes down to it, you know it's true."

Alphys smiled, closing her eyes. "Th-that's true. You're right."

For a moment, they were quiet, just enjoying each other's company.

Then, Alphys murmured, "Still thinking about the humans?"

Undyne nodded slowly, so that she could feel it against her head. "Still nothing," she sighed; her phone was on the couch arm beside her, and had been all night.

"Well, it's the weekend. Didn't Laurel mention that politicians don't work on weekends?" Alphys wondered.

Then, she paused. "Oh wait, she said _'most_ politicians don't work weekends; the real ones do.'" She smiled. "I like Laurel."

Undyne was quiet for a moment before she spoke again. "I like her, too. It sometimes bothers me, how much I like her, actually."

When Alphys looked confused, she elaborated. "I mean, look at her. She's not perfect, but she's genuinely invested in our care and safety. She treats us really well and obviously wants to see us succeed. She works her ass off to make things happen, things she doesn't even have to do, but she does it, y'know?"

Alphys nodded.

"It bugs me, because it makes me wonder: could that kid be kind, maybe, too? If we'd tried, would it-they take us up on the offer of peace?"

Alphys bit her lip, then said, "I'm pretty sure a lot of the people that... child murdered did try. You... saw some of the footage, Undyne..." Her eyes darkened before lowering. "There were many who just wanted to play, not fight."

Undyne winced a little, but she nodded. "I know. I just... it bugs me, sometimes. I wonder if, given better chances, that kid could've been something better. Something nice, a friend, someone you could grow to love."

"Well," Alphys said, her voice bitter. "From what I saw, there was nothing endearing about that child, and it looked as if no amount of care or love could have fixed that."

"We'll never know, now," Undyne agreed, but one hand reached up and touched her chest lightly, her fingertips brushing over the skin above her heart. "Not unless we find out who they were."

Alphys started at that, her eyes going wide. "Undyne," she said, looking up at her so quickly that she bumped Undyne's chin and clicked her teeth together. "The names. We need to give Laurel the names!"

Undyne stared at her in surprise. "The names of the kids?" she asked, and Alphys nodded. "I forgot. That's right. You have all of the first names, right?"

"Y-yes," Alphys agreed. "In the records. Asgore... I d-don't know why, but he made sure to note their names." She paused. "N-no, that's wrong. I-I know why."

Undyne nodded. "But did he record any last names?"

"No," Alphys sighed.

Then, she blinked and lit up. "But I bet he would remember what they looked like! And I have the dates of their deaths, too!" She was beaming, now. "Undyne, we could tell their families. We could tell their families that their children weren't lost, so they can have closure!"

Undyne hesitated. "Look, Alphy... I know you think this is a good idea, but... it might not go over well. At all." She sighed. "If the families are found, they're gonna _loathe us._ And we're just end up planting more monster hate."

"B-but Undyne..." Alphys protested. "The truth will come out, eventually, anyway, and people may come forward. Wouldn't it be better to be the ones to _offer_ that information, rather than be exposed and embarrassed by it?"

Undyne stared at her, blushing. "I... fuck, you're right. Of course you are. We have to do it, first."

Alphys nodded, about to go on, but a knock at the door cut her off, and they both turned around and looked over, blinking in surprise.

Then, Alphys smiled. "Stay hidden. I'll get it."

Undyne nodded, lowering down onto the couch further to keep everything but her head and hands in view, and Alphys grabbed her robe, shrugged it on, and went to the door.

It was either still James - or James again - who was the morning's supervisor. She smiled at him, then lit right up when he pulled out from behind his back why he had knocked: it was a huge bouquet of yellow and blue roses.

"For you both," he explained with a smile in return, "Queen Alphys."

Alphys's smile vanished in sudden shock, and she felt her hot body blush red.

"U-uh..." she murmured.

She realised it was entirely different hearing it from someone else, whereas with Undyne, it didn't hold the same shock.

"Th-thanks!" she squeaked, grabbing it and slamming the door, before she turned around and leaned against it, shutting her eyes and hunching over in embarrassment.

Undyne's eye lit up and she grinned, lifting herself up from the couch and jumping up - then over - it and to the floor.

"That's fucking gorgeous!" she cried, rushing right over and grabbing it, before she buried her face into it.

Alphys blinked at her, still blushing.

"Undyne, J-James called m-me Qu-queen!" she managed to get out.

"So?" Undyne replied, walking over to the sink with the flowers and setting them gently in, before searching for something to put them in.

She made a face, unable to find anything, so she made a mental note to pick something up that would serve as a vase the next time they went out. She looked up and saw Alphys still standing against the door.

"Alphy, why are you a statue?" she wondered, smiling a little.

"J-James--,"

"You said that," Undyne interrupted, moving to grab her own robe to put on. "What's the problem?"

"I-I..." Alphys held her hand over her chest. "I-I d-don't think it-it hit m-me until n-now," she admitted, her eyes wide.

Undyne smiled at her, tying her robe closed and going over to her, leaning down and sliding her arms around Alphys's neck. "And?"

Alphys stared up at her, looking starstruck. "It's cr-crazy," she murmured. "But... I-I like it."

Undyne laughed, kissing her nose a couple of times until she smiled, then grabbed her hand and led her to the sink.

"Let's see who these things are from," she said happily, reaching into the bouquet still in the sink and grabbing the small letter hidden there. She then let go of Alphys's hand, but only to open the tiny envelope and take the card out.

She read it - then blushed, her smile vanishing and her eye going huge on her face. "Holy fuck," she whispered.

Alphys shifted uneasily on her feet, her hands held up in front of her with her fingers twitching. "What? What? What?!"

Undyne handed it to her, and she grabbed it, her eyes on it at once.

Then, she paused, blinked hard, and read it again, her mouth open but with nothing coming out.

_"Congratulations, Alphysy and Undyne!_

_I know, I bet you expected something rude or insulting, but I assure you, I have far more class than that! ;)_

_On a serious note, I'm so happy for you - both of you - and I hope this horridly expensive thing makes that clear. In case it doesn't, I'll be at your door in two hours, anyway. Once I am, you can either punch me, zap me, or come along with me and let me spoil you rotten for the day._

_I do hope you'll pick the last one!_

_Love,_

_Metta"_

Alphys was crying by the time she finished reading it the third time.

Undyne took the card from her hand before she could soak it, set it aside, and leaned down to brush the tears away, looking concerned. Alphys tried to choke them off, then tried to explain, but she failed both times and gave up, clinging onto Undyne until she could.

Undyne was patient, rubbing her back and smiling a little, finding it kind of cute in a way.

When she could, Alphys finally explained. "I... I always thought h-he hated us together."

"Oh, he does," Undyne agreed, startling Alphys. "I can tell. I can't tell _why,_ but I can tell."

"Except... except with-with this... it seems like he doesn't, that he's fine with it," Alphys said. "D-do you think he m-means it?"

"Probably," Undyne agreed. "It would be nice, actually. I don't like being grumbled at for reasons that he won't explain, and I'm sick of the damned fish-wife jokes..."

She then winced. "Oh, fuck, I just realised: even if Mettaton stops saying it, sans won't."

"Undyne," Alphys said, looking up at her. Her face was set and sombre. "I want to do this."

Undyne grinned. "You don't need to even ask, Alphy. I was gonna say yes even if you said no."

She paused. "Can I still punch him, though? Because he actually gave his permission, you know."

Alphys smiled, but said, "No."

"He said I could, Alphy!" Undyne insisted.

"Only if we said no. We're saying yes. No punching."

"Just a little punch?"

Alphys laughed and hugged her, and in turn made Undyne laugh, too.

"Sure, if you mean fruit punch," she replied, giggling, especially when Undyne groaned and staggered as though wounded.

Alphys held her up, and soon had her laughing, too - an excellent way to start a day, one that was sure to be the same.

* * *

When Undyne opened the door not only fully dressed, but smiling, Mettaton blinked and looked surprised. He looked... energetic, as though he'd had two charges at the same time, though there was also something a little wobbly about him, too.

She didn't have any time to figure it out, because she was immediately shoved aside by Alphys, who had come rushing over to throw herself at him. With a laugh he caught her and twirled her once, making her laugh, and his entire face lit up, unable to help adding more of his laughter to hers, especially when they came to a stop and just hugged.

And that's when Undyne got it.

She went bright red, her hands clenching hard, and she turned away and went back into the suite for a moment, pretending to look for her key card. She hunched over the counter, making sure neither of them could see her face, and she shut her eye and gritted her teeth, her nails digging into the counter a little.

_I can't believe it. I can't fucking believe it._

_I want to both kick his stupid skull in and hug him for having good taste._

_I fucking hate him._

_I adore the shit out of him._

_Fuck._

She took a deep breath, held it, and shut her thoughts up immediately, before exhaling.

She couldn't lose her temper right now. This was important, especially now that Undyne knew.

She just felt so damned _stupid_ for not seeing it sooner, as it was obvious if she looked back on it.

She listened to Alphys chatter with Mettaton for a moment, as she thanked him for the flowers and noted how amazing they looked, and she also wondered how humans made roses those colours without magic.

Undyne listened to her voice, listened to her list the various ways that humans could, and she felt herself calming down.

By the time Alphys had finally paused to take a breath, Undyne was ready to turn back and join them.

"Alright, got it," she said, holding up her card key and grinning.

Alphys smiled at her - then blinked, her smiling flickering for a moment.

Undyne inwardly winced, as it was clear that Alphys knew she was faking it, but didn't know why.

Before she could ask, Undyne said, "Where are you dragging us, diva?"

Mettaton lit up, and he clapped his hands together once in front of him. "Oh, you'll love it - I promise."


	19. Accuse

The entire time, Undyne watched Mettaton, hoping for proof that she was wrong. For once, she _wanted_ to be wrong.

But the more she watched, the more she realised she was right.

There was no question: he was in love with her new wife. It was like something out of a bad 80s anime.

Alphys was absolutely oblivious, though.

Undyne could tell, and it made her want to scream, but not at her; rather, at the fact that Alphys couldn't see it, because she was so conditioned _not_ to see it - even from Undyne, herself, until recently.

The sad thing was, the longer she watched, the more she understood why he felt the way he did. She was so patient with him, so understanding, and yet she didn't take his histrionic shit, nor did she allow him to over-exaggerate. And he teased her and pouted and postured, but always to make her laugh, a sound that was always something to enjoy.

That's what stayed her hand: that laugh.

That's what kept her quiet: those smiles.

Because Mettaton made Alphys happy, even if she didn't know the extent of why he was happy around her. And Undyne wanted Alphys to be happy, to know she was wonderful, and to always be surrounded by people who loved her.

But though she tried, with all she had, she did eventually snap.

* * *

 It was an innocent enough moment.

They'd spent the first part of the afternoon walking along the streets close to the hotel (with Laurel's shadows nearby) and just stopping in whenever fancy took them (and when they were deemed safe enough to do so). They were turned away a few times, especially due to the shooting, but this wouldn't deter even Alphys, whose good mood was so solid for once that she intended to revel in every second of it. She was so happy, so incredibly happy, that she held both Undyne's arm and Mettaton's hand, unable to stop smiling.

She felt something like tension, especially when she looked at Undyne, but Undyne would cover it up with a wide grin - strained, true - and a squeeze of her hand to her chest, so she let it go - for now.

Later, she would definitely corner Undyne and ask, as it did worry her all the same.

Mettaton was a different story.

Whereas before the wedding and shortly after, she'd sensed a lot of discontent and frustration from him, all she could see now was mutual happiness, a joy shared in seeing hers, and it was amazing. Even at their best times, he'd never been this cheerful - and yet here he was, cheerful and genuine, too.

Oh, he'd sometimes lapse into insufferable if he felt the mood chose, especially if he wanted to tease her, but it was never mean-spirited, which was incredibly nice.

She felt so happy.

They stopped in front of the jewellery story, the one owned by Berenice, and hesitated. Undyne suddenly grinned, a real grin that made Alphys's heart speed up, and she found her hand grabbed up by her wife so tight that the ring she wore dug into Undyne's skin, but she didn't care. if anything, that just made her grin wider.

"Alphy," she announced, pulling her right up to the door. "I want to buy you something so ugly and so hideous that everyone will make faces, but you'll know it's from me with love, so you'll like it."

She paused, blushing, as she was suddenly aware that she was assuming. "Uh, I mean--,"

Alphys was nodding, however, bouncing a little on her toes. "Yes, yes!" she agreed, her eyes bright. "Though, truly, Undyne, anything you buy, no matter how ugly, I'll always love, anyway!"

Undyne grinned again, happy to be right. "Let's go," she concluded.

"I want to buy you both something," Mettaton then said, right behind them.

They turned, and Alphys lit up again, though Undyne narrowed her eye and her grin twitched a little.

"Seriously!" he added, holding up his hands. "I want to get you a wedding present, both of you, and I want it to be _nice."_

"Well," Alphys answered, not noticing Undyne suddenly frowning at him. "The owner is really nice, and I've been wanting to see her again!" She wiggled a little. "Can we go?"

This was said to the guard behind them - James, again - who smirked and nodded.

"Let's go!"

The practically tumbled in, though James showed more dignity when he followed them in, and they startled Berenice, who was washing one of the displays and hadn't noticed them outside. Her towel streaked down past the display in her surprise, and she stumbled a little before getting to her feet, her face lighting up once she saw who it was.

"Empress Undyne" she exclaimed happily. "And Doc-no, sorry, _Queen_ Alphys!"

Alphys went bright red and hid her face in Undyne's arm, which made both Undyne and Berenice laugh.

"And this is Mettaton, yes? Your friend who helped you?" She didn't elaborate what she meant, but they all knew how she knew him, so she didn't need to, especially when he nodded and smiled. "You're definitely welcome here," she added with a smile at him. "How can I help you, today?"

Alphys's eyes had clearly already caught something, as they were wide and fixed. Slowly, she held up one hand and pointed, and Berenice followed her point and smiled. "Follow me, dear," she said, gesturing to Alphys as she turned back to the displays. Alphys did, her eyes still fixated.

And that's when Undyne grabbed Mettaton and dragged him backwards a few feet, before turning to him and snarling out, into his shocked face, _"I know."_

Mettaton blinked, his mouth open but no sound coming out. All he looked was confused, and it pissed her off.

"I _know_ you love Alphy, fax machine," she hissed out, keeping her voice low and making sure Alphys couldn't hear.

Mettaton flinched, shutting his eyes.

He couldn't say anything for a moment, before he sighed out, "How long?"

Undyne glared at him, hot anger filling her. Assuming it was one thing, but getting confirmation was somehow worse. "You _do,_ then! You don't deny it!"

He nodded sadly, opening his eyes but not looking at her. "Yeah," he whispered. "I can't. But... I'm working on it."

Undyne blinked this time. "Huh?"

Mettaton looked up and to the side, over to Alphys and Berenice, who were chatting happily over the composition of some minerals and how they made gems and whatnot, before he looked back at her.

"I'm not going to _do_ anything, Undyne," he answered sharply, still keeping his voice low. "What am I, a cad?"

"Yes," she answered.

He made a face. "I'm not a cad," he snapped. "I'm not going to do a damned thing except _move on._ Look at her, Undyne!"

He held up a hand and gestured to Alphys jerkily, his eyes bright with anger of his own, now. "Look at how damned happy she is! Do you really think I'm going to destroy that? Do you really think I want to _lose_ her over something so _stupid?"_

"Well..." She was starting to lose words, now, hearing him say all of this. She hadn't expected him to already back off; she'd expected a fight, or some kind of declaration that he'd never change, and would always try to win Alphys over. She wasn't expecting... _logic._

"I'm not, Undyne," he said flatly, giving her a frustrated glare. "If I told Alphys right now how I felt, it would break her heart; not because she feels the same way - which I know she doesn't - but because she knows it hurts me - which it does. I don't want to break her heart, _ever._ I'm never going to tell her, even when I get over her."

He raised his chin a little. "I hope you agree."

Undyne stared at him for a moment, making sure he was being serious, before she let go of his shoulders. He reached up and brushed some non-existent dirt away, then gave her a sour look.

"Honestly, I pegged you as jealous, but never intuitive," he added. "How did you even know?"

"Instinct," she admitted easily enough. "I could just tell."

She bit her lip, then placed her hand back on his shoulder again, only this time, it was light. "I... fucked up. I'm sorry, Mettaton. I misjudged you."

Mettaton nodded. "I understand. You're scared, right? You don't want to lose her at all, even if it was to me?"

She went red, but she didn't deny it, so he continued.

"You have no worries. I'm not going to interfere. She's so..." He sighed, looking back at Alphys. "Happy, now. Being married to you was her ultimate dream. Why on earth and Underground would I ever want to ruin that? As much as I don't get it, you make her happy, dear Fish Wife." He was smirking, now, and she glowered at him.

"Can I still punch you, then?" she growled, though she smiled a little. She felt relieved, and she couldn't help it.

"No, not today," he replied, smiling in return. "But maybe another. Shall we go back, before she fusses?"

"Yeah," Undyne agreed. He started to go back, but then she added, "I'm really sorry, Mettaton. For... all of it. I didn't know until today."

"Even if you had known sooner, Undyne, you still had nothing to worry about," he replied honestly.

* * *

In the end, Mettaton bought them both gifts from Berenice's store - and Undyne let him, not buying anything else for Alphys. She decided to save that for later (she managed to get Berenice to hide something for her so that she could buy it next time they were there) and let Mettaton continue his spoiling.

So spoil them, he did, and about a half-hour later, they walked out wearing matching bracelets that had Alphys constantly looking at and thanking him for; he'd seen their jewellery and asked if there were other pieces like them, and managed to find Undyne a gold bangle with bright green stones and Alphys a silver bangle with dark blue stones.

Undyne had to admit, it was a really nice bracelet, even though she wasn't really into that much jewellery. It was simple enough to throw on and forget about, and nice enough to look at from time to time and enjoy it. When it came down to it, Mettaton had the ultimate taste, and that was something she could never deny.

Alphys was absolutely thrilled; not only did Undyne seem to be feeling better, but Mettaton was able to convince her to get something, too, something she actually not only accepted, but was wearing with a smile. Something had made them both relax, especially around each other, and now, when they teased each other, there was less acid in those words, and more joking.

She couldn't help it; when they were back on the sidewalk, she hugged Undyne, then Mettaton, then tried to grab Undyne while still holding Mettaton.

Undyne grinned, wrapped her arms around them both, and lifted them up with a loud cackle of a laugh, especially when they both made startled, high-pitched noises and protests.

She decided it was a sound she would grow to love.

* * *

When they got back, Mettaton hugged and kissed Alphys, then moved to shake Undyne's hand.

Instead, she grabbed him and put him into a headlock.

He went limp, looking defeated, and he grumbled, "So this is how I die?"

She laughed and dropped him, and he made a show of get back to his feet and standing to his full height, checking himself over for damage. Alphys smiled, her face pink, and Undyne grinned.

"Well," he then said, smiling in return, now. "I've successfully spoiled you both, so I'm going back to recharge."

"Say hi to sans for me," Undyne replied, "and tell him to visit for once, the lazy ass!"

"Text me later?" Alphys said, walking him to the door. He nodded, and she smiled again.

When the door closed, she immediately turned to Undyne and said, "Are you alright? You-you were acting weird, b-before."

Undyne blinked, then nodded, placing a hand on one of her pink cheeks. "Yeah," she agreed. "I am, and I was, but I'm better, now."

Alphys was about to ask what had been bothering her, but fortunately - or unfortunately - both of their phones chimed.

Alphys closed her mouth and grabbed it from her bag, checking it, and she made a face. "Uhm," was all she could manage.

Undyne checked her phone, and saw that it was a text from Laurel... sort of:

_"Ffffffffjkljkljkljljlhkjkhkjhk!!!bb!"_

"Uh," Undyne agreed, tilting her head at her phone. "The hell?"

Alphys was about to reply when their phones went off a second time, this time with a far more legible text.

_"Sorry. I keep getting texts from Cathy while trying to text the both of you. I just got a message from her, and I hope you're both sitting down and ready: McCallion wants to see you tomorrow morning, right as the doors open. Can you be ready to go for 08:30?"_

They both stared at their phones, then looked up at each other, mouths open in shock.

Then, Alphys grinned, her eyes shining, and Undyne couldn't help but return it. "Y-you should answer her," Alphys said shyly, pointing to Undyne's phone. "You d-do outrank me, after all." She said it with a teasing lilt in her voice, and it made Undyne laugh.

 _"Hell, yeah!"_ Undyne replied. _"We're so ready for this!"_

 _"At least one of us is, then,"_ was Laurel's reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm aware this chapter is not only late but also not my best, and I will likely edit it again in the future when I can, but I've been operating on lizard-brain lately, so this is the best I could do. I'm sorry.


	20. Interlude Two: Fuss

"You're fussing, Laurel."

"No shit, Dharmayan."

"And you're pacing."

"Your eyes work too?"

"It's nauseating me, to be honest."

Laurel turned to Michael, a sharp retort on her tongue, but she froze when she saw his expression, which wasn't teasing like she expected, but worried.

She blinked at him and paused. He was seated at his computer desk, his game paused, while she paced from the kitchen to the balcony door and muttered under her breath.

Usually, he left her to her own devices when this kind of mood struck her, but he was starting to be able to hear her through his headphones, and thus naturally, worry followed.

She sighed, sagging a little, her arms dropping to her sides, and she walked over to him slowly before leaning down and resting her forehead on his shoulder with a small grunt. He smiled and hugged her, rubbing her back slowly, and she closed her eyes.

"I'm scared," she finally admitted. "I'm scared that this hard work will be for nothing, and we'll end up ruining their lives."

Michael considered this, resting his chin on her shoulder, and her arms slipped around him and pulled him closer, holding him tight. "What makes you think you'd ruin their lives this way?"

"If she says no. If she says maybe. If she says yes, but."

"Alright," Michael agreed. "Let's go down the dark and dirty road, okay? Let's say she says no, and the Papyrus Pact gets rejected."

Laurel shut her eyes and gritted her teeth, then nodded, prompting him to go on.

"So that means nothing," Michael replied. "You still have treaties written up from before even she was born, ones that, by the way, you've used to a great advantage for them, especially with that marriage."

She smiled faintly, the mental image of that marriage coming to her mind and making her feel a little better inside.

She reached up and started rubbing the back of his head, loving the way his hair felt beneath her fingers. "Okay," she whispered.

"And it's not like you need to give up!" he continued. "You have five mayors who have said yes to the Papyrus Pact, Laurel. Even if she ignores that, her higher-ups can't. They have to listen to you. Especially now that it's gone public, and the whole world is watching us so closely it's like we're bugged."

Laurel snorted a small laugh, and he smiled. He gently reached up and took hold of her face, holding it between his hands, and her eyes met his and wavered a little.

They'd known each other for so long, now, since they were kids, really, and they had not only been lovers and partners, but best friends, too. There were times that she felt she knew him better than herself, and he knew her the same way. It was no surprise that he was able to talk her through this with such ease - and such kindness.

"And," he continued, his thumbs rubbing her cheeks gently. "You're tough, Laur. You like them. You're not going to give up so easily."

"Never give up without a fight," she replied with a wry smile, one hand touching one of two engraved rings hanging around her neck from a silver chain.

"Exactly," he agreed, smiling that smile she loved so dearly. "And you're not alone. And you know they trust you."

"But." Her smile faded. "What if this violates their trust in me?"

"I really don't think that will happen," he replied. She narrowed her eyes at him, and he rolled his eyes. "But if it does, I still know you won't give up. I know you'll keep fighting. Because you want to make this right."

Laurel nodded slowly. "I'm scared, though."

"I know," he agreed. "I am, too. But we'll get through this - we always do."

"What happens when the world finds out about the barrier, though?" Laurel wondered, her voice small, now - a huge contrast to its usual loud, steady timbre. "When they find out that those same monsters killed children? We have to look for their families at some point, probably once things calm down a little. What will happen then?"

"Hm," he said, his hands slipping down and going to her waist, pulling her into his lap. She melted against him and buried her face into his shoulder, her arms around his waist, and listened.

"Then there will be doubt and fear cast upon them, it's true. But once people actually get how hard it was for them, how bad things were, it will likely calm down, don't you think?"

"It was self defence in Undyne's case," she murmured. "But in Lord Asgore's case, not so innocent."

"It's likely he'll get the most fire, it's true," Michael agreed softly. "But he's an old man, and an old politician. I'm pretty sure he can take it."

"And Undyne and Alphys?"

"Eh..." Michael closed his eyes and rested his cheek against her head. "Maybe they won't bounce back as easily, true. But the thing is, they're innocent in all but one, and again, like you said, it was self-defence."

"Michael, you didn't see the video," she whispered. "You didn't see what that kid was doing to them. If they had done that to the people I loved, I would have murdered them, too."

He kissed her ear gently. "Exactly, sweetie," he agreed. "Keep that in your heart. Keep that holding your spine straight. And always remember: you haven't done anything wrong, here, Laurel."

He paused, then smiled. "Well, nothing beyond being a sneaky politician."

She laughed finally, and he hugged her close, thrilled to hear it. "Michael," she then said, still in that small voice. "You... you believe in me, right?"

"Always," he agreed.

Laurel blinked her eyes open, then pulled away a little to look into his eyes, and he smiled at her kindly, his dark eyes lighting up. She smiled faintly, then kissed his nose in gratitude, making him wrinkle it and smile - and her laugh once more.

For the moment.


	21. Nervous

For Undyne, it was easy to decide what to wear: her Empress robes. She contacted the staff this time and asked if they could wash them for her, and after a few nervous replies and a visit from a human who looked ready to run away, she was assured they'd be clean and ready first thing in the morning.

For Alphys, however, it was much harder. Not only did she not have default clothes to wear, but her status had practically changed overnight. She had to dress as a _queen,_ now. And she had no idea how a queen was supposed to dress.

"Augh!" she finally cried, throwing herself into the pile of discarded clothes on the bed and burying herself under them, wearing only her underwear. There were so many that she managed to get almost completely buried, save her tail and legs.

Undyne blinked. She'd been sitting in the chair and trying to help, but to be fair, she had no idea what Alphys should wear, either. She might be an empress, now, but that didn't come with a manual on how to dress like one, let alone how a wife of one would dress.

"Kill me," Alphys added miserably, her voice muffled.

"No," Undyne replied easily, standing up and leaning over the pile, eyeing it for a moment, before she reached in and pulled her wife free of it.

Alphys went limp, not protesting or fighting, and instead looking miserably up at Undyne.

"Alphy, it's just a stupid meeting. Wear what you're most comfortable in!"

Alphys sighed, carefully sliding out of her grasp to stand on the floor again. "I wish it were that easy," she admitted, fussing with her bra for a moment, as it seemed one of her breasts was trying to escape it. "But it's not. I want to make sure I make a good impression for you, and for the Underground. I c-can't d-do that w-with what I-I have..."

Her face fell, and she lowered her head, her hands dropping limp to her sides.

Undyne frowned a little, then moved closer and leaned down to hug her tight.

Alphys immediately clung onto her, adding. "I don't w-want to em-embarrass you..."

"Alphy, don't even think that," Undyne answered right away. "There's nothing you could do or wear that would embarrass me, ever."

Alphys was quiet for a moment, before she said, "What if I went on a tangent about anime?"

Undyne blinked, thinking about it, before nodding. "Okay, that would be a little weird. But embarrassing? Probably not."

Alphys smiled a little, nuzzling close for a moment, and Undyne rubbed her back gently.

"Just wear what you feel best in, sweetie," Undyne added.

"I wish my favourite dress hadn't been ruined," Alphys sighed.

The gunshot had ripped the material, easy enough to fix with sewing, but the blood had stained it too deeply, to the point that not even magic would get it out, and they both had tried. Even Laurel had tried once, to no avail.

The dress was ruined, though she would never throw it away. It meant too much to her.

Undyne blinked, a thought coming to her. "Alphy, wear your wedding dress!" she exclaimed, grinning.

Alphys pulled away and tilted her head, confused. "Uh, Undyne... w-why would I wear my wedding dress to a political meeting?"

"Because it's pretty, you look extra-pretty in it, and..." She shrugged. "Maybe wearing it will give you the confidence to be the queen I know you already are! Plus, you'll be getting your - well, Mettaton's - money's worth!"

Alphys blinked. "That reminds me. Undyne, have you... checked your balance on your bank account lately?"

Undyne blinked back. "No. Should I?"

Alphys nodded, so Undyne pulled away and went to her phone, grabbing it and sitting down on the bed. Alphys went over to her side and sat down beside her, just as she typed in her password and logged on.

"Uh...." Undyne stared at the screen. "This doesn't look right, especially with how much we've been spending lately. Is this right?"

She handed Alphys her phone, but Alphys didn't look at it; instead she just held it and nodded.

"How is that right, Alphy?" she added.

Alphys smiled faintly, then grabbed her own phone and pulled up what looked like a spreadsheet. "I was able to figure it all out, especially after we visited that corner store. I kept the receipt, remember? So I managed to figure out how much gold was taken out of my account and match it to the amount on it." She handed her phone to Undyne, who stared at it with a wide eye and her mouth open.

 _"That_ doesn't look right, Alphy!" she cried.

"It is," Alphys answered gently, nodding. "I checked it five times, then made Mettaton check it five times - and sans twice. It's right."

Undyne stared at her, now, her mouth open again but with no sound coming out. Alphys nodded again in agreement. She'd had the same reaction, honestly, and was glad she wasn't the only one.

Both Mettaton and sans had taken it rather blandly, as Mettaton felt, with the amount of work he did, it was his due, while sans simply didn't care too much about it.

But for Alphys and Undyne, who learnt how to balance a budget and make every single piece of gold count and stretch to its full potential, it was rather mind-blowing information.

They were _rich_.

"With this, Alphy, you could buy a million copies of your favourite dress and have it tailor-made!" Undyne finally said, grinning wildly. "We could probably buy the whole city!"

"I wouldn't go that far," Alphys replied. "B-but, yes, we... w-we have quite a great deal to work with, this is true."

"I wanna buy _everything!"_ Undyne answered gleefully, her eye sparking. "Where's the nearest sword store?!"

"Undyne." Alphys smiled, then laughed, and Undyne laughed as well, leaning over and kissing Alphys on her cheek.

"Alphy," she replied. "Wear the damned wedding dress. You look amazing in it, and this is a one-time thing, right? So you might as well feel confident. You like that dress, right?"

Alphys nodded, blushing a little. "I love it," she admitted.

"So why not wear it to something important again?" Undyne shrugged. "I won't be offended, if that's you're worried about. In fact..." She chewed on her lip for a moment, then nodded. "Fuck it, I'll wear my suit, too."

Alphys blinked at her, surprised. "Why? I m-mean, you have... y-you don't need to..."

"I know," Undyne agreed, getting to her feet and going to the closet, rummaging through it until her hands landed on her suit. "But thinking about it... this is kinda huge. I might as well look good, right?"

She grinned, her eye dancing with mirth, and Alphys smiled in return.

"O-okay," she agreed. "Th-that sounds... nice..."

Undyne took the suit out and hung it up beside the door, smoothing it out a little before she smiled and put her hands on her hips, looking at it fondly.

"If we look awesome, there's no way in hell that she can say no," she decided.

Alphys smiled. That was very much like her to say, and it was very comforting, honestly. She set her phone aside, got to her feet, and went to Undyne, slipping her arms around her waist from behind and resting her cheek against her back, closing her eyes. Undyne's smile became warm and gentle, and she leaned back and placed her hands over Alphys's.

"Undyne," Alphys then whispered, hugging her tighter. "I r-really want this to work. I-I want to... I w-want to live here... I want to..."

She bit her lip, then just blurted it out. "I-I want to live here, have a home with you, make a family with you, and-and whether or n-not that means ch-children, I-I don't care, as long as I'm with you..."

Undyne was silent for a moment, struggling very hard not to cry. She could tell that Alphys was being sincere and spoke right from her heart, and it meant so much to her to hear those words. She inhaled shakily, closing her eye and biting down hard on her bottom lip to keep it steady, but it was no use - her eye burned and filled with tears, and her throat clogged up right after.

She wanted to say she agreed, that she wanted the same thing, that she'd dreamt of the same thing ever since they first kissed, that those reasons were what she was fighting for so passionately - not just for them, but for everyone, too. She wanted to say that even if they lived in a hole in a wall, as long as they were together, she'd be thrilled.

Instead, all she got out was, "Alphy... _fuck,"_ before she started to cry.

Alphys immediately moved away, but only to quickly circle around to her front and hug her again.

Undyne leaned down and clung onto her, burying her face into her shoulder and holding onto her tight, gritting her teeth and trying to control herself, but failing miserably. Alphys didn't take it badly, but instead kept her close, stroking her hair slowly and sometimes kissing her cheeks.

After a moment, Alphys then whispered, "Come on. Let's get comfortable, o-okay? Standing here... it m-must make it worse."

Undyne nodded and pulled away slowly, and Alphys smiled up at her gently, taking hold of her hand before leading her to the couch.

When Undyne sat down, Alphys went back, grabbed her robe, shrugged it on, then sat down next to her, holding her arms out as soon as she did. Undyne hesitated, then hugged her again, unable to control herself even more, as she was sobbing instead of just crying, now.

At any other time, had this happened between them, Alphys would have assumed that she had said something bad. She would have asked, or apologised.

But things were different, now, and she knew Undyne like she had known no one else, and knew it wasn't her fault - not exactly. Rather, her words brought Undyne to tears because of the situation they were both now in, and it was both frustrating and amazing all at once.

And this was something Alphys not only understood, but shared along with her.

Undyne wanted to speak. She wanted to explain. But every time she tried, all she got out was meaningless babble, choked with her tears, and she shut up.

Alphys, however, nodded and pulled her closer, giving her a kiss each time, and remained quiet. Yet she kept comforting her, without hesitation or fear, and this meant so much to Undyne.

It took a while, but soon, Undyne did calm down. By then, both of their phones had gone off with a text alert, first Undyne's, then Alphys's, but they both ignored them in favour of this, as both felt it was more important.

But when Undyne managed to calm down enough, she slowly raised her head from Alphys's soaked shoulder and murmured, "Could be important."

Alphys nodded. "I'll check, then. Just stay here and rest, okay?"

When Undyne nodded, Alphys got to her feet and grabbed both of their phones, checking hers first, then Undyne's. And both made her smile.

Undyne's came first, and it read, _"My dear, I'm aware you spent much of your day out and about, but I was wondering if you wouldn't mind a visit from me, as I would like to visit you both. May I also bring dinner for you? My treat."_

Then Alphys's, which said, _"Alphys, I tried contacting your new wife and have yet to get a reply. I do hope this means things are alright, and that the reason is... distraction, rather than anything serious."_

It made Alphys both giggle and blush, as both were from Asgore. She brought the phones over to Undyne, who was rubbing her eye a little.

Without a word, she handed them over, and Undyne read them, before she started laughing - hard. She leaned back and just laughed, more tears coming to her eyes, but this time they were different - they were happy. Her laugh was contagious, and soon Alphys was laughing along with her.

"Oh, my god," Undyne gasped out. "What a fucking weenie."

"But he's wonderful, admit it," Alphys replied.

"Oh, I love him, no question," Undyne agreed. "But he's a fucking _weenie."_

"What shall I say in reply?" Alphys wondered, her claws already poised over the keypad.

Undyne paused, then shot up and grinned, her face lit up despite the lingering signs of her tears. "Grillby's!" she exclaimed. "The food here is great, don't get me wrong, but I _really_ miss Grillby's!"

Alphys was about to text that, until she got another text. _"me, too, please."_

Alphys stared at it, her eyes narrowed, before she looked up and around the room, peering around the corners for a moment. When she was sure they were alone, she frowned, then handed Undyne her phone.

Undyne read the message, then rolled her eye and got to her feet. She stormed to the door, flung it open, and shouted, _"Get your own fucking food, you lazy ass!"_

She made all of the guards there jump and pale in surprise, but she merely grinned at them before slamming the door.

 _"rude,"_ was the only reply they got to this, which made them both laugh.

"How does he do that?" Alphys wondered, now typing her reply to Asgore (she already knew what they both wanted, having spent many visits with Undyne at Grillby's, enough to know her favourites).

Undyne shrugged. "I dunno, but he always does it, and it's always annoying." But she smiled, despite that. It was nice to have some kind of normalcy, if she were to be honest - and sans's laziness as well as weirdness were always normal.

"He'll be here in an hour," Alphys then said, looking up from her phone with a smile.

"Good," Undyne replied, leaning down and kissing her nose before sitting back down beside her.

Alphys paused for a moment, and Undyne took the opportunity to put an arm around her and pull her close, something she leaned into with a smile and a faint blush.

"Were... were you s-serious about wearing your suit?" she wondered, looking up at Undyne.

"Yup," Undyne agreed with a smile. "You gonna wear your dress?"

Alphys nodded. "Y-yes," she agreed. "M-maybe it's time... I had a new favourite dress."

Undyne kissed her again, and she giggled, finding it ticklish. Undyne was undeterred, and instead leaned closer and started kissing all over her face, eager for more giggles - and was rewarded by quite the influx of them, to her delight.


	22. Family

It was strange, the way Alphys and Asgore interacted, now.

Back when she had just been hired, it was confusing and somewhat awkward, especially since they were both lying through their teeth when it came to their motives and aspirations. But eventually, when Alphys started her work with DT, things got easier between them, and she actually found herself forming a rapport with the old king - to the point that he would even give her gifts sometimes, just because he thought she would like them.

When that started happening, well, for someone as lonely as Alphys, it was hard not to wish and feel more than was probably expected or wanted for him. And it was that affection that made her go mute about her research when it went sour.

After she met Undyne, she realised that, while she would always hold affection for Asgore, Undyne was the one who held her heart in her strong hand. It wasn't hard to let go of her feelings for Asgore, especially when she realised just how much she felt for Undyne. But, like Asgore, she never told Undyne, and vowed to take it to dust, as she was so sure that someone of Undyne's calibre would never feel the same way.

Now, sitting on the chair with a mug of post-dinner tea in her hands, her eyes on Undyne and Asgore as they chatted, she couldn't believe what a fool she had been.

In all of her moments alone, she'd never imagined anything like this happening to her: Undyne was not only with her, but her wife, and Asgore was not only her friend, but a good one, getting better and better the more time they spent together.

She was so overwhelmed by how she felt from this. She could barely believe that it was happening at all. And yet here she was, sitting in a hotel room on the surface, having tea with the love of her life and her former boss-turned-almost-uncle.

It was... really nice.

"Alphy," Undyne said, startling her into almost spilling her tea.

She blinked and focused, feeling her face heat up, and Undyne grinned at her in return. Asgore was smiling as well as looking at her, and suddenly she wanted to hide. She lowered down a little in her seat and tried to hide her face behind her cup, which brought laughter from Undyne and soft chuckling from Asgore.

"Told you," Undyne then added, her eye on Asgore, now, and he nodded, still smiling.

"Er," Alphys murmured. "Wh-what did I do?"

Undyne grinned at her, then put her cup down, leapt to her feet, and lunged for her. Alphys spilt some tea this time as Undyne hugged onto her, but she still laughed, unable to keep it in, especially when Undyne kept rubbing her face into her neck.

"Aahh!" she cried between laughs. "Undyne, my-my tea!"

Undyne grabbed her cup, sat up, and drank the rest of the tea in reply, making Asgore burst into laughter - especially when she casually dropped the cup onto the carpeted floor and resumed her nuzzling.

"Undyne!" her wife squeaked out in reply, before bursting into uncontrollable giggles. She couldn't help it; not only was she being tickled, but it also felt wonderful.

"Undyne," Asgore then said, his voice a little strained. "Do let her breathe, dear."

Undyne pulled away with a grin, but Alphys's hands remained on her shoulders for a moment, not really wanting her to go far. She blushed, but Undyne's eye lit up, and Alphys found herself picked up, lifted out of the chair, then sat back down - but this time on Undyne's lap.

Alphys felt her whole body burn, her eyes flicking over to Asgore shyly, but he was laughing again, so she decided it was alright.

"I suppose that works," he concluded, reaching up and brushing the tears from his eyes, still laughing a little. "Goodness, Undyne, you certainly know her well."

Alphys winced, looking up at Undyne, her hands held against her chest, unsure of where to put them at the moment. "What d-did I d-do?" she repeated, looking nervous.

Undyne smiled at her, fondly this time, and she blinked. "You were spacing out," she replied. "Thinking about me and Asgore?"

"Er," Alphys answered, looking down a little. "Is... th-that bad?"

"No," Asgore replied, and she looked over at him. "Just an indication that, despite everything, you're still the same in many ways, Doctor."

Alphys stared at him, unable to speak, now. She wasn't sure if that was good or bad, and thus couldn't find a word to say.

Undyne noticed, and she grinned and kissed the tip of her nose gently. "Chill out, Alphy," she said cheerfully. "It's a good thing."

"C-can we change t-topics, pl-please?" Alphys begged, her hands going up and covering her face, now. "I'll pay attention, I-I promise."

Undyne looked over at Asgore with that same fond look, and he returned it, his eyes dancing. Silently, they were agreeing on something clearly between them.

Alphys noticed but didn't say anything, too embarrassed to ask.

"Well," Asgore then said, leaning back to relax a little, taking a sip of his tea before continuing. "Tomorrow is certainly a big day, is it not?"

Alphys nodded, and Undyne sighed, leaning back a little in the chair. Alphys adjusted a little to stay sitting up, something Undyne opened her eye to and stared at her, for, her cheeks going pink. She didn't notice, however, even when Undyne put one hand to her back and the other on her knee.

"The head mayor," Alphys said softly, covering Undyne's hand, the one on her knee, with her own, the other fussing with the front of her shirt a little.

Asgore sighed a little. "Indeed. I would like to give you some advice, if I may? I know I'm not exactly an expert when it comes to humans and their politics, but I'm an old politician myself, so maybe I can offer some insight."

"Please," Alphys agreed, and Undyne nodded, though her eye was still on Alphys.

"Well," Asgore began. "The first thing I'd like to impress upon you is to be respectful. I know it's difficult, giving our... situation... but even I need to remember that. We've come to the surface as supplicants, in a way."

He looked a little sadly down into his cup. "Therefore, if you approach the mayor with even a whiff of arrogance, she will likely not listen to you."

"You saying we're arrogant, old man?" Undyne wondered, though she was smiling a little.

Asgore gave her an amused look. "Some things give the _impression_ of arrogance, my dear," he answered, and she grinned. Alphys smiled, as well, as that was quite the diplomatic answer. "Which perhaps is something you'd like to work on."

"I'm the _Empress,_ Asgore," Undyne replied, sitting up again. Alphys looked at her, and saw that her eye was now blazing, her expression serious. "I worked my _ass_ off to get this far. I almost got killed for it, and so did..."

She voice caught, her nails digging into Alphys's back and knee, and Alphys turned to her, placing her other hand gently on her cheek. She shut her eye, swallowing hard, before she opened it again and went on, reaching up and taking Alphys's hand into her own.

"I've earned the right to be confident," she concluded.

Asgore listened to her carefully, his face oddly neutral, and he waited until she was done before he reacted. He raised his eyebrows and said, very softly, "I do hope you don't say things like that tomorrow."

"Why the hell not?" Undyne demanded. "It's the truth, and you know it!"

"When you declare that you're Empress, Undyne, you imply that you're as such over humans as well," he answered, his voice suddenly sharp. "Do you really think they would take lightly to you declaring such a thing? You are _not_ the Empress over humans, Undyne, no matter how much you wish it to be so."

"Asgore--!" Undyne protested.

"Undyne," he broke in, his eyes narrowing. "If you think I don't know what you've been through, you're very naive. If you think I don't understand the kind of strife you've faced, you're dreadfully ignorant. And if you think I was unable to remain humble and know my place in things despite those hardships, you don't know me at all."

Undyne blushed, her mouth going very small at this, and she suddenly had no words. She looked away, her breaths shaky as she tried to both control her temper and deal with her embarrassment.

Alphys carefully stayed quiet, unsure of what to say, anyway. She glanced at Asgore, who was watching Undyne carefully, his expression sombre.

"I didn't mean..." Undyne then said softly, her voice strained. "I... I wasn't trying to..."

"Undyne," Asgore said, his voice gentle, now. "I know you weren't." She looked up at him. "But that's the problem, my dear: you say it, without knowing or meaning, and it's already done."

Alphys looked at Undyne, then very carefully slid out of her lap and stood to the side, taking one of Undyne's hands and tugging on it gently. Undyne sighed, got up, and trudged back over to Asgore for a hug, one she was given with a smile. Alphys smiled back at Asgore, resuming her seat in the chair.

"Dad," Undyne murmured, her hands limp at her sides and her eye closed. She felt sick inside, as though she'd seem something gross she wasn't prepared for, except it was something within herself - something that made it feel even worse. "Help."

"I _am_ helping you," Asgore replied softly, rubbing her back gently. "It just feels like I'm attacking you because deep down, you already know it's wrong."

She sighed again, then nodded slowly. "I do," she agreed. "I just... it's all I know how to act, really. If I'm faced with something I don't know how to deal with, my instinct tells me to _make_ it something I can deal with. And I only know how to do that with..."

She winced. "Arrogance."

Her voice was tiny when she said that one word, as saying it made her feel like dirt.

"You've survived a lot," Asgore said. "A great deal more than even _I_ can say. That's something to be proud of, for sure, dear daughter."

He paused, his eyes closing. "But in order to ensure that you _continue_ to survive, you need to remain aware that, upon the surface, things are no longer in your hands, but in another's. And you must ensure they they are aware that you know this."

"And... the only way I can do that..." she murmured, "is to be humble." She reached up and hugged him around his neck tight, and he nodded.

"Fuck," she added.

"Do watch your tongue, as well, please," he added wryly, and she managed to smile. He gently pushed her away so that he could look directly at her. "Undyne, you can do this. I l know you can, Alphys knows you can, and I know _you_ know you can."

Undyne laughed shakily. "Do I? Because I sure as hell feel like I actually don't." she wondered, her eye flicking to the side for a moment, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip to keep it from quivering.

Alphys stood up at this, unable to help herself, and immediately hugged her from behind tight. A laugh burst out from Undyne suddenly at this, finding herself suddenly sandwiched by two of her most favourite people in the entire world (Papyrus had been the third), but to her shame, her eye filled with tears, anyway.

"Sit down, please," Alphys said softly, pulling away. Undyne did, pulling from Asgore to sit beside him, and once she did, she found herself sandwiched again by both of them.

This time, however, she cried instead of laughed, her eye shut tight before she buried her face into her hands and hunched over.

"I'm scared," she admitted between breaths. "I'm really fucking scared."

"I-I know," Alphys agreed, kissing her cheek gently and brushing the hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. "B-but you're n-not alone, Undyne."

"Everything we've been working for comes up to tomorrow," she answered, her voice choked. "If I fuck it up, even if all I want is the opposite, we're _all_ fucked."

"Undyne, my dear," Asgore broke in gently, rubbing her back. "Neither Alphys nor I will allow you to do such a thing, we promise. You are not alone now, and you won't be, tomorrow."

"R-right!" Alphys agreed. "I'll-I'll be right b-beside you! And-and Asgore, he'll b-be in the seats, and-and with us!"

Undyne nodded, one hand going down and grabbing onto Alphys's knee again tight, her nails digging in hard.

Asgore caught Alphys's gaze and held it, both sharing the same thought: they would never let Undyne ever think she was alone, no matter what. They both loved her too much.

"Tomorrow," Asgore continued, "you will go in with Alphys, hold your head up high, and ask for what we all deserve, because you know it's the right thing to do. You know it's what we've earned, and I know that will keep you calm and focused on what is most important. You proved that when you were faced with four strangers who posed the same obstacle, did you not?" When Undyne nodded a little, he went on. "So then, one person should be easy."

"Asgore," she whispered, lowering her other hand and looking up at him. "What do I do if she asks about... those kids?"

Asgore sighed, seeming to almost deflate before her eyes. "The truth," he said. "I'll be there, so if she has any questions, she can ask me. You can tell her that, and I will certainly answer for myself. As for the last one, well..."

He hesitated, especially when she looked down again. "You know you weren't in the wrong. You had to do it. Just tell the truth."

"What if they don't believe me?" she wondered. "Humans... they don't wanna think their kids can act that way..."

"Then I'll prove it to them," Alphys said, her voice terse. "Just like I proved it to Cathy."

"That reminds me, both of you..." Asgore said, his voice sounding a little odd.

They both looked up at him curiously.

"Did you ever manage to come up with a reason why Alphys was revived the day the speech was presented?"

Undyne shook her head, and Alphys blushed a little, biting her lip.

"No," Undyne admitted, reaching up and touching the pendant that hung around her neck - perpetually, now - even in the shower. "It just... never came up. When they were first asking, we had no excuse ready, so we told them we would explain later. When they gave up, we figured they didn't care, anymore."

"Well," Asgore said, looking at her. "You may want to prepare for that. And for anything you've left unsaid until now. I have a feeling you will be asked many questions - and all of them sensitive and rather personal."

Alphys was pale, now, horrified by the very idea of it. There were several things they had left unsaid, and many of those things could easily be used against them and their cause.

The last thing she wanted was for others to suffer the consequences of her own carelessness; she'd had enough of that to suit her for the rest of her life.

Undyne opened her mouth, about to say something, when there was a knock at the door.

All three of them looked over and stared for a moment, clearly not expecting anyone at this time.

Then, Undyne narrowed her eye and got to her feet, holding her hand up to the other two in order to keep them there. She leaned against the door and said, her voice sharp, "Who is it?"

"us. open the damned door. they're looking at us weird out here."

"It's rather distressing, darling."

Undyne smirked, relaxing immediately. "And if I just leave you two idiots out there? What will you do?"

There was a scoff. "Do stop being wretched, please. You _want_ us to come in, I promise you."

"Do I?" Undyne replied, swallowing a few laughs.

"yup. we have nice cream."

She lit up at once and flung the door open, greeted by sans, Mettaton, and the guard on duty (who was for once _not_ James). Both were holding several tubs of the stuff, and while sans looked cheerful, Mettaton looked as if he were carrying a bomb; clearly, he didn't like the cold.

With their arrival, for the rest of the night, they were able to put aside the heavy stuff, and instead focus on having fun with each other.

It did at times go to serious talk, especially when sans and Undyne spoke about Papyrus - and shared a little weep over him as a result - but for the most part, it was a wonderful way to wrap up the evening.

Alphys just hoped it was enough to keep them buoyed up to tomorrow, because she knew they would need it.


	23. Mayor

Alphys woke up in the middle of the night with a snort, jolted awake from her sleep by her dreams. Her eyes snapped open and she struggled to catch her breath, her hands going over her heart, as if to do so would slow its frantic beating.

_Again._

_My dreams are messing me up, again.  
_

Although, not quite.

Though it had been scary, it hadn't been as terrifying as the last time she'd dreamt of the human in the Underground. She hadn't had to listen to Undyne's death, nor did she have to face the human after.

Rather, she dreamt that she was approaching the CORE, nervous and feeling chased, when someone - or something - had come out of the shadows and cut her off, and she'd tried to fight back, only whatever her weapon was - she couldn't remember, now - didn't seem to work the right way, and she was defenceless. She tried to remember more, but the longer she was awake, the more she forgot.

But the longer she thought about it, the more she realised that the person she had been in the dream wasn't actually her.

_If that's the case, who was I? And why did it feel so damned real?_

She grabbed her phone and glasses, leaning over the bed and pulling up a word app, typing as many details as she could before she lost them all. She made quite a few spelling mistakes, as her hands shook and her claws were unsteady, but she wrote as much as she could before she came up empty.

Once she was done, only then did she go back and fix her errors. She then saved it at least three times, just to be safe, before she turned the phone back to sleep mode, replaced it and her glasses on the bedside table, and lay back down, curling up on her side and under her blankets again, now focusing on calming down.

 Perhaps it was just stress coming out in her sleep, and formulating bad dreams for her to be even more stressed over. It certainly had the quality of a fever dream, feeling both real and unreal, confusing yet oddly comprehensible.

She just didn't understand it. And that bothered her, as she prided herself in understanding things. She'd made her career on understanding things.

Well, save her own mind.

When it came to her knowledge failing her, it always flatlined when it came to her own mind. She wondered if that was what the dream had been: her mind's way of dealing with the amount of stress she'd had to deal with over the past month.

She then wondered how a month could feel so damned _long..._

She almost jumped and fell out of the bed when she felt a gentle touch to the back of her head. She certainly startled Undyne, who also jumped and squeaked a little, her hand jerking away quickly in reaction to it.

"Ah! Sorry, Alphy!" she cried.

Alphys turned around, blushing in embarrassment, now; she was very glad it was dark. "N-no!" she said quickly. "I-I'm sorry, you-you j-just startled m-me!"

Undyne nodded, her eye glinting a little despite the dark. "I see that," she agreed, reaching up again, only this time she touched Alphys's burning cheek. "But what I want to know is, why are you even up at all?"

Perhaps a month ago, she would have lied, or pretended it was nothing. But Alphys knew better, now, as if she even tried, Undyne would easily remind her that she already knew something was wrong, and she wouldn't allow Alphys to blow her off so easily. There was just no point, anymore.

So, instead, she reached up and covered Undyne's hand with her own, closing her eyes and focusing on it in hopes of calming her heart down.

"I-I had a nightmare," she admitted softly. "I'm-I'm sorry I woke you."

"I'm not. I'm glad you did," Undyne answered, moving closer and placing her other hand on Alphys's other cheek. "I'd hate for you to be upset and deal with it alone. Talk to me."

"B-but..." Alphys sighed, keeping her eyes closed. "We have to g-get up early, tomorrow..."

"Alphy," Undyne sighed, and Alphys opened her eyes. "You know better by now, don't you?"

When she nodded, Undyne smiled. "Well then, talk to me! What was it? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay," Alphys agreed. "Can... can we talk about it tomorrow? I just..." She hesitated. "I just want..."

Undyne moved closer and pulled Alphys to her, exactly what she wanted, and she curled up against Undyne and closed her eyes.

Alphys felt Undyne lean down and kiss her gently on her forehead, before she rested her cheek on her forehead and sighed deeply.

When she was sure Undyne was asleep, again, Alphys was able to do the same - and this time, if she had dreams, she didn't remember them.

* * *

In the morning, they didn't have a chance to talk about it, instead focusing on what needed to be said to the mayor. It was to the point that by the time they left their suite, Undyne was nodding and waving her hand as Alphys reminded her for probably the tenth time not to swear.

They met sans and Mettaton in the hallway - both of whom also reminded Undyne to watch her mouth, something that had her snarling at them to shut up - before they managed to finally leave the hotel and get into the car Laurel had sent for them.

The car ride was quiet, Undyne and Alphys too nervous to say a word, no matter how many times Mettaton or sans tried to engage them in conversation. They just sat and sometimes nodded, holding hands so tight it almost hurt.

By the time the car drove up to City Hall - and had to avoid the crowds of people - both were shaking but trying to hide it.

When they were safely in the building, Mettaton stared at them both for a moment with a long-suffering look. "You're not going to war, ladies," he reminded them.

Undyne glared at him, wanting to say something snide or smart in return, but only managing to come up with, "Shut up, typewriter."

sans snorted. "whoa, you really _are_ freaking out, if that's the best you can come up with."

"You too, lazy ass," she answered tersely.

Alphys sighed. "Please, just... g-give us a second? C-can you m-maybe... find your s-seats?"

Mettaton rolled his eyes. "Dear Alphys, just tell us to piss off."

"Piss off," Undyne said, and sans laughed.

He patted her arm gently, something she scowled at, before he looked at Mettaton and started walking to the main doors.

Mettaton gave Alphys a kiss on her cheek, then moved to do the same for Undyne, but she glared at him, baring her teeth, and he held up his hands and backed off, quickly following sans.

As soon as they were alone, Alphys moved in front of Undyne and stood on her tiptoes, reaching up to hug her tight. Undyne relaxed as soon as she was touched, and clung onto Alphys even tighter, feeling both herself and her wife shaking.

And yet Alphys still whispered, "We can do this, Undyne. We can do this."

Undyne nodded, closing her eye for a moment and just holding onto her, before she reluctantly let go.

"Alright," she said softly. "Let's do this, then."

* * *

The first thing Undyne took in when she looked at Mayor McCallion was how bright her eyes were. They were light blue, staring out from a bed of well-earned wrinkles, and they were sharp and clear - and piercing. The moment her eye met McCallion's, she couldn't look away, mesmerised by such a bright, clear colour.

It was only when she and Alphys were seated beside Laurel that she noticed the rest of her: small and plump, with bright white hair that curled fluffy atop her head, reminding Undyne a little of Greater or Lesser Dog's fur. She wore no make-up, but she didn't need it; those eyes spoke volumes without her even opening her thin-lipped mouth.

She was fascinating.

Both she and Alphys were speechless, which was just as well, as Laurel had warned them to let McCallion speak, first.

Very carefully, Undyne reached under the table and grabbed Alphys's hand, holding it tight, and Alphys held it in return and almost as tight.

"Welcome to the Council," McCallion said, her voice clear and calm. "I must admit, you certainly are a shock to the eyes, but not in a bad way."

Alphys blushed, swallowing a little at that, but Undyne didn't react.

"Thank you, Mayor McCallion," Laurel said softly, her face carefully blank. "It's an honour to meet with you, today."

"Is it, Wickstave?" was the reply, a white eyebrow raising as she turned her gaze to the Minister. "I didn't know anything about you until recently, but apparently you've been working for me for quite some time. That's interesting, isn't it?"

"Y-yes," Laurel agreed, her cheeks going pink a little. "It... it wasn't my intention to be deceptive, not really. Rather, it was in order to--,"

"I know why you were quiet," McCallion broke in, waving a hand at her and turning back to Undyne. "I wouldn't have believed you even if you told me. This isn't a trial. No one is in trouble, here. Least of all these two ladies, here."

Undyne felt herself relax a little at the word 'ladies', but she still kept her guard up. Beside her, Alphys was still red, and she was biting her lip, so she squeezed her now-sweaty hand gently, something that helped her relax a little.

"Well," McCallion now said. "What do you have to say for yourselves?"

Undyne blinked, surprised by being put on the spot this way. "Well," she stammered, hesitating in order to come up with the right words. "I... I was wondering if you've had the chance to read the Papyrus Pact. Nothing explains why I'm here better than it."

"I have," McCallion agreed, raising the other eyebrow at her, now. "You ask for quite a bit, what was it...?" She looked down at her notes. "Empress Undyne?"

Undyne swallowed her reply quickly, her cheeks going pink as she struggled to find a calm reply to that. So, instead, she nodded slowly.

Laurel looked at her and smiled faintly, the gesture quickly vanishing, but it was still there long enough for her to see it, and feel reassured by it.

"And yet..." McCallion leaned back in her chair. "Considering what I know, now, perhaps not that much."

Before anyone could say anything, she went on.

"When I was small, I remember the stories. Everyone who grew up in Ebott did, and I certainly heard a great deal of them. Oh, yes," she added, catching Laurel's surprised look. "I grew up in Ebott. I only don't live there now because the job dictates it. But I know the stories. And I know that I wasn't the only one who wondered how true they could be."

"Uhm," Alphys managed to get out softly, though her voice broke a little. "You-you weren't?"

McCallion looked at her, now, and she went red again, but she didn't look away. "No. Every child who hears those stories wonders if there is truth to them. Some even become so curious that they go up and find out."

There was a silence in response to that, one very uncomfortable, especially when Alphys felt Undyne's nails dig into her skin. Neither knew what to say to this, because they knew very well that several kids' curiosity had cost them their lives.

"I imagine they found out in some way, no?" McCallion concluded, eyeing Undyne again, closely.

Undyne bit her lip for a moment in order to mask its trembling before she managed to answer.

"I... wasn't born yet when the first human fell," she admitted softly. "To be honest, I'm only old enough to... to account for one child, Your - uh - Your-Your Grace...?"

Her blush paled a little, fear flashing in her eye, as she was suddenly very afraid she had said something wrong.

But McCallion simply nodded. "Of course," she agreed. "How else would you have come here at all, had you not had at least seven humans fall? I've been told the barrier broke with the old spell, the one in the legends - seven human souls and one monster soul. Yes?"

Undyne nodded. "We..." She looked at Alphys for a moment. "My-my wife... she was the scientist for the - uh, former - King, and she tried to find some way to break it without having to take another soul, but..."

She hesitated a little before finishing the thought. "We ran out of time."

McCallion looked at Alphys again, this time with interest. "Yes, I heard about your recent marriage, and how it's actually still perfectly legal and binding here on the surface as well as Underground. That's all thanks to Wickstave, is it not?"

"Uhm," Laurel broke in. "Well, not me, exactly, but the laws that were written ages ago, just in case something like this happened. Emergency laws that gave monsters temporary rights. That was one of them, and neither the Empress nor the Queen felt it necessary to wait any longer before making it official."

McCallion eyed her closely, and she shut up, blushing again. "Interesting, how far-ahead your predecessors thought. It's almost as if they knew that those Underground would eventually return, while the rest of the area quickly forgot all about it, save in our legends and stories."

"The Minister hasn't done anything wrong," Undyne broke in sharply, catching the mayor's attention. "She's done her job, and well. We've been protected to the best of her abilities."

"Oh?" McCallion replied. "Then explain why you've been shot at _twice."_

All three of them went red this time, and Undyne's hand began to shake within Alphys's. Alphys could tell she was losing control over her temper fast, and that if this went on, she would lose it in earnest - something that Alphys couldn't let happen.

So she said, very calmly, "I'm the one who had to deal with both, and I'm... I'm fine."

There was a small silence, especially when McCallion leaned forward and looked closely at Alphys, her expression sombre.

"Indeed," she answered. "I saw the video of the first shooting, and you looked dead."

Undyne flinched, so again Alphys hurriedly spoke, barely aware of what she was even saying.

"But I'm not. I'm alive, I'm safe, and so are those of us..." She swallowed. "Those of us left. Truly, the worst danger, the worst violence, happened to us Underground, but no less outside of human causation."

 _"Alphy,"_ Undyne hissed, glancing at her with gritted teeth. She looked a little panicked, now, and suddenly Alphys realised what she had just said.

"Er," Alphys added quickly. "I-I mean... I d-didn't mean... wh-what I meant to say w-was..."

Her voice dried up suddenly, especially when those bright eyes landed on her again and seemed to see right through her.

"S-sorry!" she added, letting go of Undyne's hand to cover her face with both of them, shamefully close to tears.

There was a small silence, once that was a little painful.

Then, McCallion said, very calmly, "You meant what you said. And I understand why you said it."

Alphys looked up in shock, as did Undyne and Laurel.

McCallion then smirked a little. "Cathy told me there was video of what brought you here, and described some of it to me. If anything, you were caught off-guard and were desperate, and you were being murdered. Is that not so?"

"Well..." Undyne murmured, her face falling a little at the thought of it. "Yeah. That's exactly the case. I..."

She gritted her teeth, then looked back up at the mayor again, her green eye glinting. "I would've _never_ murdered a child if they were being peaceful, human or not. That child was... anything but peaceful. I... I know it's hard to accept, a child being that violent, and like you said, we have proof of it, but--,"

"I believe you," McCallion interjected quickly, holding up a hand and silencing Undyne. "I can see it in your faces. I don't need to see the video. Nor do you have to apologise for telling the truth."

This was directed at Alphys, who looked up but stayed quiet.

"And the truth is difficult to ignore. The facts are that you not only wouldn't of been trapped down there as easy targets if it weren't for us humans, and you wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for us, again."

Undyne swallowed, struggling to stay quiet as well as expressionless, but it didn't work. "We're not asking you to move the mountain for us, nor are we asking you to give up your lives or homes or anything like that. We just want to be able to find a home on the surface, _with_ you, but not _instead of_ you. We just want... we just want _peace."_

Alphys glanced at her with a gentle smile, and she felt better, glad that she hadn't kept it in.

She felt that even moreso when McCallion smiled at her, as well, and it wasn't a loaded or wry smile. Rather, it was a genuine, calm smile, one made when finally coming to agreement on something.

"Here's the thing," she said, leaning forward and folding her hands in front of her. "We want the same thing, you and I: peace. We want the same outcome: harmony. But it's going to take many years to get there. Are you actually willing to work towards it, Empress Undyne? Or are you just here to set it in motion and leave it to someone else, as a proper figurehead would?"

Undyne's eye narrowed and glinted. "I'm _not_ a figurehead," she answered. "I fully intend on being around for _everything -_ and _everyone."_

"I believe you," the mayor admitted. "And you know what?"

She paused, then sat up, glancing at Laurel for a moment before looking back at Undyne. "I'm willing to give you a shot."

Undyne stared at her, her heart suddenly pounding so loud that she could feel it everywhere.

She wondered if she had misheard the mayor. She wondered if she was being tricked.

That was, until she felt Alphys's hand suddenly grab her knee, so hard she felt claw, and she fully understood what had just happened.

"So," she said carefully, though her voice was a little hoarse. "You... you accept the Pact?"

"Effective immediately, I accept the Papyrus Pact," was the calm reply.

When she saw the look of shock on their faces - as well as the faces of the people in the spectator seats, who were now whispering amongst each other - she suddenly smirked.

"What, did all you expect something else? Ridiculous. Now." Her eyes went back to Undyne's, who sat up and nodded. "Let's go over the details, shall we?"


	24. Mistrust

Try as he might, but sans didn't trust any of it.

He kept his jaws closed, but the moment the head mayor (he refused to call her by her stupid real title) accepted the Pact, he was suspicious. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back, narrowing his slightly-dimmed eyes and keeping them on McCallion closely, watching her every move, even the slightest changes in face and body language.

To him, in a world that had recently proven to him that it didn't give a _shit_ about himself or those he loved, he was unable to trust anything so easy.

He wanted to be happy; that was true, despite his sour outlook. He knew he would never be truly happy, given the fact that his only brother was dust, something he carried with him always in a pouch around his neck and beneath his clothes.

But he wanted to be as happy as he could be, whatever that was without Papyrus. He was willing to find out, despite the pain it brought him.

But that didn't mean that he trusted anyone outside of their little circle - least of all human politicians.

It was too easy. It was too smooth.

So he refused to trust it.

Mettaton could tell. He was surprised that he could, but the time he'd spent living with him, sharing space and meals and time with him, had brought him a special insight into the monster who was so slippery with everyone else - save Papyrus, really.

But when Mettaton saw sans lean back and his eyes dim, he knew that it was due to pure scepticism and distrust.

And it irritated him.

He wanted things to go smooth, not just because he was an optimist and that was his nature, but because he wanted to get things going on, get things started on the way to peace. With McCallion accepting the proposal so calmly and even cheerfully, it allowed Mettaton to have a hope that he thought he'd lost.

To have sans sceptic of that seemed personal, really.

Undyne's voice broke the momentarily lull - as well as the waves of surprised whispers - that had fallen over everyone.

"That's... that's wonderful," she said, her voice cracking a little. It was understandable, after all, as she had assumed the worst - no, had come prepared for it - and had just received the best.

She clutched Alphys's hand tight, one that was held almost just as tight. "What, uh, what should we go over, first?"

"Well," McCallion looked down and peered at her notes closely for a moment, clearly thinking. "Your beginning proposal, the one in which you state that you'd like monsters to come to the surface, is one I can approve of without a second glance, especially since you specify that you'd like to live close to the mountain to begin with."

"Yes," Undyne agreed. "Not only do I think that we'd be more comfortable there, in light of recent events, I also think we'd be, uh..." She blushed a little. "Safer."

McCallion didn't flinch, though Laurel did a little. "I do like the idea that you wouldn't be harming the local forests in order to do this," the mayor went on, nodding. "I take it many of you are used to living in such conditions?"

"Uh," Undyne hesitated, then looked to Alphys suddenly for help, surprising her.

"W-well," Alphys said quickly, nodding to Undyne before looking to McCallion. "Some of us are, yes. B-but, it would remiss to state that all of us are. We h-have cities, too, and f-for many of us used to them, it will be kind of a change. I-I imagine they'll be th-the last to relocate, though. I think. M-maybe..."

She blushed, but didn't lower her head like she wanted to. She didn't want to make Undyne look bad.

"I imagine it would be wise to start with small numbers," the mayor continued. "Do you have a few people - other than the ones you've already brought..." She raised her white eyebrows at Asgore, sans, and Mettaton for a moment. "Ones that you feel would do well on the surface?"

Undyne and Alphys looked at each other for a moment. The ones that they'd wanted to bring were already dead, and anyone else, they knew, were too frightened right now to even consider it.

Suddenly, Alphys's phone buzzed, and, bemused, she answered it, forgetting where she was for a moment.

 _"Blooky,"_ was the text she received, from Mettaton.

Blinking, she nodded, then showed Undyne, who smiled and also nodded.

 _"And perhaps your childhood friends, Catty and Bratty?"_ he added after a moment.

This they also agreed on, and Alphys turned in her seat to smile at Mettaton for a moment, who returned it warmly.

McCallion watched this with a mild look of amusement on her face, but she kept quiet and patient, something that they were both very grateful for.

Then, Undyne's phone buzzed.

 _"also rg 01 and rg 02,"_ was sans's addition to this.

"We might have a few," Undyne said with a smile at this, nodding. "It would be small at first, I have to admit, but that might be better than a bigger group, to be honest. Less overwhelming for both sides, especially. Once we get settled, that will likely encourage others to be less afraid, and more eager to come to the surface, too."

"Y-you have to--I m-mean, you don't, I'm sorry," Alphys stammered, her hands tangling together. "It w-would be worth con-considering that we as-as a people have dreamt of coming to the surface for as long as we c-can remember. B-but..." Her eyes lowered, and she frowned. "Th-that was before... before..." She trailed off, unable to finish.

"They're scared," Undyne finished bluntly. "They're very scared, no matter how much they dream. They don't want to die."

"And I'm very inclined to agree with this sentiment," McCallion said, her voice suddenly gentle. "I don't want anyone to die, either. And I've been told that already a great deal of people have died needlessly."

Alphys nodded silently, and Undyne kept her eye on McCallion's, her lips pressing together tight. She didn't know what to say to that - she didn't know _how_ to respond to it.

How could she explain it? How could she even begin to try to?

"You know," McCallion was saying, saving her an attempt. "When I was very young, we humans were at war with each other. In these days, it's very much glazed-over and rewritten to be romanticised, but I remember the hardship and the pain. I remember what it was like to love people and never have them come back. And for what? Ideals that we all believed in, yes, but that our leaders would never actually fight for themselves?"

Her eyes were hard, like pieces of the ceiling crystals in the Underground. "And all while they sat at their desks and pushed pencils around, pretending to do things, while the peoples around them died trying to make those ideals happen."

Asgore suddenly shifted uncomfortably, looking away.

"I refuse to allow this to happen in this day and age, when we're all supposed to be smarter and wiser, and we're supposed to be loving and kind to each other, so that history doesn't repeat, and we can finally stop burying our innocent children."

Undyne's eye was tearing up, but she didn't look away. "Yes," she whispered, her hands clenched tight. "Exactly."

"How soon do you want to begin the ascent of your people, Empress Undyne?" McCallion said, her eyes now on Undyne's and wavering, to Undyne's shock.

"Tomorrow," Undyne murmured honestly.

McCallion smiled gently. "I can't get a team mobilised for you that soon, but if you don't mind being patient with me a little longer, I can get you started next week."

Undyne started weeping in earnest now, though again, she didn't seem to notice. "Yes, please," she agreed, her voice wavering.

"I like you, Empress Undyne," McCallion then said, surprising pretty much everyone, including her peers, who turned to her and gaped at her in shock. "You're a monster, absolutely. But not the way humans can be. And you love your people, very much; anyone who so much as looks at you knows this to be true. Someday, I know, monster will no longer be a slur, but synonymous with something great." She eyed Undyne closely. "Probably something like 'hero', I think. That's what I'd like, anyway."

Undyne bit her lip, nodding. Her throat hurt, now, and she couldn't speak.

Beside her, Alphys shifted closer, pressing her shoulder to hers gently, and she closed her eye briefly.

"Laurel," McCallion said sharply, and the Minister looked up, startled and with wide eyes. "I'm glad you're part of my staff, regardless of your subterfuge. All I ask is that you train your staff better, and make sure they understand how serious it is to take care of our guests and future townspeople. I want you to arrange a detail of guards you trust to not only guard the mountain, but also ensure the safety of those monsters who choose to come up from it. Can you do that?"

Laurel nodded, her eyes going hard and her jaw set. "Yes," she said without pause.

"Good." McCallion stood up, and suddenly so did her peers, as did Laurel.

Undyne and Alphys quickly followed suit after a moment of confusion.

"I think that concludes this meeting for today. I will meet with you again should there be any questions regarding the start of the relocation. Thank you." She nodded to Undyne, who nodded back, before she stepped down and disappeared out the back way.

* * *

The moment they could, Alphys and Undyne embraced, not caring if anyone saw. Both were shaking so hard that both could tell, but neither pulled away or let go.

Undyne started crying again, and Alphys couldn't help but join her the moment she heard that first shaky breath, reaching up to stroke her hair.

"Oh god, Alphy," Undyne whispered. "I thought I was gonna lose it."

"But you didn't," she answered, just as softly, so that only the two of them could hear. "You didn't. You were brave, you stood up for us, and now we're going to be free."

"We're going to be free," Undyne echoed, her eye opening, her vision blurred by tears. "Alphy..." She smiled suddenly, feeling a bubble rise up into her chest, one so unexpected it tickled. "Alphy, we're gonna be free."

Alphys nodded. "Yes," she agreed. "Because of you."

Undyne grabbed her tight suddenly, surprising the breath out of her, but she didn't even have time to catch it, as suddenly she was off of her feet, being held by Undyne as she stood her full height and circled around, starting to laugh, the sound so real and so genuine that it brought both tears to Alphys's eyes and laughter to her own lips.

When the others soon joined them (save Laurel, who was briefing with Cathy at that moment), they were still laughing and crying, still spinning in a wonderful dizzy haze of joy. It was only when Asgore carefully placed his hand on Undyne's shoulder that they both stopped, and Undyne gently set Alphys back down onto her feet, though they were still giggling a little, brushing tears from their eyes.

Asgore then hugged Undyne tight, something she returned with equal fervour. "You did it," he murmured. "We can finally start. You did something I never could, Undyne. I've never been more proud of you."

Undyne bit her lip and closed her eye, hugging onto him tighter, at a loss for words at that.

Mettaton, during this, had grabbed Alphys, once more robbing the breath from her, though it made her laugh, anyway. She returned it, then was surprised when she felt sans join in on her other side. His hug was light, almost unsure, but she wrapped an arm around him and pulled him in, and he laughed - a rare sound, that.

"A week!" Mettaton then said, once they'd all calmed down and let go of each other. "A week to prepare. We should probably spend it in the Underground."

Both Alphys and Undyne jumped, then looked at each other in surprise - and shared shame. They hadn't been back there since the barrier broke.

"don't sweat it, you two," sans broke in, able to read their trepidation easily. "you're gonna be welcome there. you've got nothing to worry about."

"Yes," Asgore agreed, who'd been spending his nights there, still. "Every time I return, I'm required to report everything I know about you both, even before I can walk several steps into my own home." He smiled, though. "It would be nice to be spared such a chore for a week, and you can even stay in the Palace."

"That..." Undyne's face fell. "That would be nice. I don't think... I don't think I can face Waterfall, right now. Not yet. I've... I lost..."

Alphys touched her cheek gently, and she smiled weakly.

"can we crash, too?" sans wondered. "metta and me? snowdin isn't home for me anymore, and i have a feeling this idiot--," he pointed at Mettaton, "--would practically lose his mind if he were left up here alone."

"Really, you make me sound like a child," Mettaton snapped, his arms crossed over his chest. He didn't deny it, though.

"Of course you may!" Asgore agreed, looking delighted. "The palace is so empty, anyway. It would be wonderful to have it full again."

"Then that's settled," Undyne decided. "Let's pack up and go, tonight."

When she received no disagreement, she grinned.

It was going to be a wonderful start.

But sans still didn't trust it.


	25. Return

It was strange, packing away their things from the hotel. For little over one month, Undyne and Alphys had practically called it home. While they had known intellectually that it was a brief one, somehow, neither really realised or believed it until they saw the place empty, again.  
  
So much had happened in this room, not only when it came to the advancement of their peoples, but also their own, personally. They had first made love here, first discovered their soul connection here. There were so many fond, intimate memories here, that it was very bittersweet to acknowledge that now, they would not only be leaving it behind for a long while, but likely for good.  
  
Alphys stood beside Undyne in front of the doorway, both of them taking in the room slowly, committing it to memory. She was holding Undyne's hand tight, something returned even tighter, and she felt a sad pang in her chest.  
  
But it was time to move on. It was time to move forward. For the sake of the people who now looked up to them for protection and answers, it was their duty to be there when the first one made that first step.  
  
After a long moment, Undyne said, her voice hoarse, "Ready, Alphy?"  
  
She considered. Within these walls, they had been protected, shielded from so many eyes and practically coddled while they awaited their fate. Once they left, that safety would dissolve forever, and it would be up to them to protect themselves - as well as their people.  
  
But it was a challenge she was willing to face, if it meant that, finally, they could be happy - and free.  
  
"Yes," she answered finally, squeezing Undyne's hand. "Let's go."

* * *

It was easy to get there again; that wasn't the issue. Laurel arranged it so that they would have a ride, and that they would be protected while they walked the rest of the way up. Since it was evening by then, there were quite a few humans lingering about to catch a glimpse, but one look at the security team surrounding them ensured that they kept their distance.

None of that bothered Undyne or Alphys.

What bothered them was actually getting to the place where the barrier once was. sans and Mettaton had already gone and went down, having had less to pack and even less to deal with, as they had no one to really answer to save Undyne and Alphys (and even then, they honestly didn't even really do that). Therefore, it was clearly something that only they shared, something made clear when they both just stopped in front of the closely-guarded pathway leading down into dimly-lit depths.

They held hands so tight they shook, and yet it wasn't just their hands that shook. Both were trembling, the memories assaulting them hard from the last time they were there.

"Do...?" Alphys whispered, her voice hoarse. She swallowed and tried again. "D-do you know wh-what happened to th-that de-uh-human?"

Undyne nodded. "Asgore took care of it. I didn't ask the details, but he said if the humans ask about it, he'll answer for us."

Alphys was relieved. She never wanted to see that child again, alive or not. She was very grateful to Asgore for doing that for them, as it must have been incredibly difficult for him, too. She imagined that he brought the body to where the other children's were, but she wasn't sure - and she didn't care enough to find out.

"Alphy," Undyne suddenly said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alphys looked up at her, and saw that her usually bright eye was set forward, its colour dark and dim. Her expression was one rarely seen: fear.

"I... I-I'm..." She bit her lip, her sharp teeth sinking into her bottom lip, and her fingers tangled with Alphys's, her other hand reaching up and clutching onto the pendant around her neck, every gesture jerky and shaky.

"I'm scared, too," Alphys whispered for her, nodding. "I d-don't even know why..."

Undyne closed her eye. "I'm... scared... because... because I failed so many people..." she admitted. "My friends... people I considered my family..." Her face fell. "Papyrus..."

Alphys let go of her hand and moved close, reaching up to hug her, and Undyne leaned down and grabbed hold of her, burying her now-wet face into her shoulder, her breaths becoming strangled as she tried to hold back her sobs.

"Everything will be so strange without them," Undyne went on, her voice high with her grief. "I know... I know all I'll be able to see is the fact that they're not there..."

Alphys thought for a moment, then said, not even sure where the words came from, "Undyne, I'm not spiritual, a-and I know you're not, too, so I know this'll sound stupid, b-but... As long as we re-remember them, they'll be here. As... as long as we live, and they're in our souls, they're..." She blushed. "...here, too. I'm sorry! That sounds so stupid, b-but--,"

Undyne leaned down and cut her off with a kiss, holding her face between her hands, her eye closed tight. Alphys touched her forearms in shock, her eyes wide. 

Undyne then pulled away, resting her forehead on Alphys's, and she whispered, "I love you so much, Alphy. I love you so fucking much..."

Alphys found her words gone, but her eyes closed, feeling them fill again with tears that almost hurt.

"You're right," Undyne continued, her fingers rubbing Alphys's hot cheeks slowly, hoping to cool her blush. "You're so right. God, you're so wonderful, Alphy..."

She swallowed, hard, her eye closing again and her mind suddenly going places, providing images that weren't exactly helpful but no less true to her feelings - and how she wished to express them to Alphys.

"Once we're alone, again, you and I..." Her voice wavered, her hold on Alphys's face tightening. "When we're alone, I'm gonna make sure you know how wonderful you are..."

Alphys sniffled a little. "I..." she managed to get out. "I-I... I w-want that, too..."

Undyne grabbed her again and hugged her, and she clung onto her. They both cried a little for a moment, shaking with both fear and sadness, but also feeling that glow of relief, of love, that neither were alone and had each other - making those feelings lighter and easier to bear.

Then, they moved apart, took hands again, and started their descent.

* * *

To their surprise, it was Asgore - and only Asgore - who greeted them at the base of the tunnel. He was smiling the moment he saw them, but it shrank when he saw the expressions on their faces, and immediately, without a word, he held out his arms. Both women went into them, hugging onto him tight, and he held them close, giving them each a kiss on the top of their heads, his eyes closing.

"Welcome home," he murmured. "We've missed you so much."

Alphys couldn't speak, but Undyne said, "Where is everyone? I expected to be mobbed."

"It's just going to be us this evening," he said gently. "Mettaton and sans are already settled here, and I've already arranged a room for you here in the palace. It may be a little..." He smiled faintly. "Fancy, I suppose. But I wanted you both to have the best. You have worked so hard, and been through so much. I... desire to spoil you."

Undyne snorted out a laugh, and Alphys giggled faintly, both sounds genuine and relieved. They broke apart, though Asgore kept a hand on Undyne's shoulder.

"Thank you so much, Dad," she murmured, reaching up to squeeze that hand.

His eyes shone a little, and he coughed, looking away for a moment.

Then he said, "It's the very least I can do, really."

Undyne opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. "Are you hungry? I can arrange for all of us to eat something together."

Alphys blushed, and Undyne noticed with a smile. "Yeah," she agreed. "That would be awesome, actually."

Asgore looked pleased, and he nodded.

* * *

The dining room was huge, one that Alphys always imagined whenever she thought of fancy dining rooms owned by the rich and royal. There was so much purple, silver, and gold, the furniture solid and clearly antique, polished so many times that the surfaces gleamed.

The dining table was the traditional long one, but only one end of it was set, and both Mettaton and sans were already seated on one side, talking with varying degrees of sarcasm and dryness.

Undyne leaned down and close to Alphys to whisper, "What the fuck is that about? They're like best friends now or something."

Alphys nodded, but she smiled. Both of them looked happy, and while sans had and would likely always have a slight shadow beneath his eyes, for the first time since Papyrus's death, his smiles were real, and his gestures were actually enthusiastic. Mettaton, too, looked rather pleased, though at the moment he was scowling and crossing his arms over his chest, rolling his eyes.

For two people who seemed to be unlikely as acquaintances, let alone friends, they certainly seemed very comfortable with each other.

It was really nice to see. Both deserved it. Both deserved a friend they could count on, especially in these uncertain times.

"I like it," Alphys admitted finally.

Undyne thought about it, then nodded. "Me, too," she decided.

Perhaps in Mettaton, sans could find someone that could at least help ease the pain of losing his brother.

Mettaton would never replace Papyrus, ever, but he didn't have to. That wasn't the point. It didn't need to be, either.

Asgore had left for a moment to check on the status of their meal, so the two sat down across from sans and Mettaton, who both lit up and grinned at them the moment they were noticed. Mettaton reached across the table and grabbed Alphys's hand, and she smiled and squeezed it before letting go.

"Darlings," he greeted, "it's so nice to see you here, finally." He looked at them closely, his eyes sharp. "You do look so sad, though. Is it really that hard to be back here?"

Alphys blushed, looking down at her hands and playing with her ring. "I... It-it's that. It's... the memories."

sans looked away, his eyes dimming, before he looked back and met Undyne's gaze. She looked back at him, and they both shared the same thought, and felt that pain strike.

"Listen," Mettaton said suddenly, his voice strong. They looked at him, surprised. "Yes, people we love have died. It's true. It hurts like hell. I lost two cousins, too, remember?" His voice wavered for a moment, bringing that point home. "But we're still living. The barrier is broken, we're about to start our ascent, and look at the two of _you."_

He gestured to Alphys and Undyne. "You're warriors, and you're rulers. You're brave, and you're determined. People have died. But we haven't. We need to make this life we still have is _worth living for those still alive."_

Alphys was in tears, covering her face, and Undyne's arm was around her, also weeping. But her expression was set, and she nodded.

He was right. He was definitely right.

It was why she was Empress in the first place.

Then, sans said, "well said. who would've thought it would be _you_ who'd have some wisdom for a change? did you download a file or something?"

Mettaton turned and glared at him, but sans grinned, and the tension and sadness in the air dissipated at last.

When Asgore returned, they were all talking in better spirits, discussing what they all planned to do the moment they returned to the surface. The old king watched them for a moment, smiling, so proud to see that they were so strong. They had done all that he could never have done, and in a fraction of the time he'd even attempted to do so.

In them, he saw a future so bright it was almost blinding. He welcomed it, ready for that change - and more. He was, at that moment, so glad to be alive, and so eager to watch it happen.

And he would.


	26. Give (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut chapter! I give an extra warning, too: it's far more intense than any other of the smut chapters so far, and has looser language than I'm sure most of you are used to reading from me, but given the circumstances of the scene, it makes sense, so I've left it in. I'm sorry in advance if it makes you flinch or uncomfortable, but it IS kind of an important chapter, as it's a very pivotal prelude. So do try to read it if you can. Otherwise, what happens will, of course, be discussed in the following chapter. :3

Dinner ended up being wonderful. The food was the best that any of them - perhaps excepting Asgore - had ever tasted, and it was accompanied with wonderful drinks and even better conversation.

Alas, perhaps the drinks were a bad idea, as the moment both Undyne and Alphys realised they weren't drinking just juice, they both blushed - not on purpose - and looked at each other in surprise.

When they looked at the others, all three looked fine: Mettaton wasn't eating, but he was sipping his drink every once and a while, while sans seemed completely uninterested in his. Asgore drank his own, but seemed to be the kind of person who could take a lot of alcohol before even getting a light head, likely due to both his size and his stature.

But Alphys and Undyne were both lightweights, and by the time they realised that the extra warmth they felt was not from their company, but from their drinks, it was too late, even when they stopped drinking and switched to water: they were already feeling the effects, and it was causing them a lot of distraction in the form of each other.

Pretty soon, though they both managed to act casual, beneath the table, their hands strayed, first to knees, then to thighs, then...

Alphys squeaked, jumping in surprise, then covered her mouth and coughed, her face burning.

Undyne glanced over at her, pretending concern, but her eye gleamed, and her lips curved upwards ever so slightly - as did her fingers.

Alphys held her breath, her eyes going wide and her mouth still covered by her hands, but it was too late; she'd gotten everyone else's attention with that sound, and everyone was staring at her. Undyne looked calm, despite her smile, but Alphys looked anything but.

"I..." she managed to get out, still hiding behind her hands and shifting a little in her seat, something that had Undyne's smile widening. "I th-think I need to g-go lie down," she admitted. It was true, after all. "It-it's been a... r-really long..."

She shut her eyes for a moment, unable to finish, because if she opened her mouth again, she would make a sound that she wouldn't be able to control.

"Me, too," Undyne agreed, her voice a little husky at the edges. "Do you mind if we head to bed, get an early start, so we're fresh for tomorrow?"

Mettaton was glaring at Undyne, though sans was politely looking away. Both knew what was going on, and Mettaton was beyond irritated by it - especially when Alphys's hands went up under her glasses and to her eyes to hide her entire face, again shifting in her seat.

Asgore, however, was either completely oblivious - or, more likely, decided that he would rather be - and nodded, taking them both seriously. "Of course," he agreed. "It's the third room down the hallway on the right, past the training grounds. Do you know it, or would you like someone to take you there?"

Undyne thought about it. Though her brain was a little hijacked from both alcohol and Alphys, she remembered the layout of the castle pretty well from her Guard days, and she nodded. "I can find the way. The green room, or the purple room?"

"The purple room," Asgore replied with a smile, happy that she remembered.

"Thanks, Dad," she said honestly, smiling at him brightly.

She carefully withdrew her hand, something that had Alphys hunching over from for a moment to catch her breath. Undyne slowly got to her feet, helping Alphys to hers and keeping her arm around her wife's waist to keep her steady and on her feet. Alphys leaned on her, clutching onto her tight, her eyes still closed and her face bright red.

"See you in the morning?" Undyne added.

When Asgore nodded, they walked a little unsteadily out of the dining room and down the hallway, then out of sight.

There was an awkward pause, before Asgore cleared his throat and muttered, "Perhaps alcohol was not a good idea, after all."

sans burst into laughter, finally, and the awkwardness vanished.

* * *

The room was huge, far more than Undyne remembered, even bigger than the one at the inn, and for a moment they both stared at it. It was opulent and furnished expensively, from a four-poster bed covered in silk and velvet to solid-wood furniture and thick, toe-tickling carpets. The colours were rich purple and gold so dark that looked almost black, and for a moment, Undyne wondered if Asgore was playing a joke on them.  
  
But then, if she knew her adoptive father at all, this wasn't a joke, but his way of caring for them both as the daughters he saw them as. And she loved him even more for that.  
  
Her eye was suddenly drawn to the bed, and she swallowed, hard. She looked to Alphys, who was already staring at it with wide, almost hungry eyes. Undyne smiled at her, her heart drumming within her chest and heating her blood. She took her wife's hand, getting her attention, and their eyes met.  
  
Then, Undyne whispered, "Alphy, I want you so bad, it hurts."  
  
Alphys went scarlet, her other hand going to her chest, her mouth suddenly dry. She trembled a little, then whispered back, "Oh, god, Undyne, I can't think of anything else."  
  
Undyne grinned, her whole face lighting up, and Alphys swallowed, then suddenly lunged for her, shocking her but turning her on so fast she staggered. Alphys jumped up and hooked onto her, her body so hot to the touch that Undyne's breaths grew short, and the moment their lips met, there was no stopping them.  
  
It really had been such a long day, one so stressful and on-edge, that they needed this, and needed it badly. It wasn't just alcohol; it was desire, it was yearning, and it was celebration. But most of all, it was them, together, and that mattered most of all.  
  
They fell onto that bed, the feel of it like a dream, the mattress practically hugging around them. Alphys pinned Undyne down hard, her hands scrabbling at her clothes and taking them off so aggressively that Undyne groaned, her eye rolling up and her hips shifting up and grinding hard against Alphys's. Alphys made a low sound in return, breaking the kiss to strip Undyne completely naked beneath her, pausing only to throw her shirt and bra off of herself before she dove down and captured one of Undyne's already-hard nipples between her lips.  
  
Undyne arched beneath her, heat surging between her legs so hard that she made a sound, one that would have embarrassed her if it were in front of anyone else. But Alphys heard it and closed her eyes, her hands holding Undyne's upper arms pinned down, her claws digging in sharp, and in reply to it, she ground her hips against Undyne's, bringing up a second - louder - sound from her.  
  
Alphys wasn't sure what had come over her, whether it was the alcohol or simply need. She usually wasn't so aggressive with Undyne, let alone this desperate, but the further she went, the more Undyne seemed to want, and she realised she wanted more, too.  
  
She shifted, moving to Undyne's other breast, her knee going down and shoving Undyne's legs apart. Undyne groaned out her name the moment her knee touched already-wet flesh, something she could feel through her pants, Undyne's hands reaching up and gripping onto Alphys's upper arms hard.  
  
"Alphy, please, _please!"_ she cried out, surprising them both. "Please, _fuck me!_ I can't... _I can't take it anymore!"_  
  
Alphys pulled away, only to move down and bury her face between Undyne's legs, immediately licking her soaked slit and prising those folds apart, feeling herself getting almost drunk on that intimate taste. Undyne practically jackknifed with a gasp, one hand grabbing onto the top of Alphys's head, the other searching for one of Alphys's hands.

As Alphys licked slowly upwards and lightly brushed her lips over Undyne's clit, she reached up with her other hand and grabbed Undyne's.  
  
To Alphys's surprise, however, Undyne suddenly begged, _"No,_ I need _you,_ Alphy!" She tugged on Alphys's hand, and Alphys looked up, confused.

Undyne stared at her, her face bright red and her eye blazing. "I said _fuck me, Alphy!_ Please, for the love of god, _please!!"_ Her voice broke.  
  
Alphys felt her own face heat up, suddenly feeling both heat and moisture assault her centre, and she pulled away. Undyne grabbed her other hand and dragged her atop of her, her mouth on Alphys's and so hungry that it was Alphys who found her eyes rolling up. Undyne reached down and, without thinking, actually tore Alphys's pants off of her, making even quicker work of her underwear, her tongue hot and wet against Alphys's.

Both were gasping by now, grinding against each other and digging nails and claws into heated and sweaty flesh, but neither noticed.  
  
_"Fuck me, Alphy,"_ Undyne whispered again, reaching down between them and touching Alphys, so suddenly and yet so sweetly that Alphys keened out and buried her faced into Undyne's chest. "You have _no_ idea, _no_ clue, how much I _need you."_  
  
_"Ah,"_ Alphys answered, Undyne's deft fingers stroking her so good that she was practically brainless. "C-c-can't _you_ f-feel how m-much I... h-how much I-I...?" She trailed off, especially when Undyne's fingers touched her clit.  
  
"Say it," Undyne demanded, her fingers slipping down and burying themselves deep into her wife, feeling her muscles instantly clench and grab them.  
  
"U-Undyne, _please,"_ Alphys begged, thinking this was what she meant.

But Undyne shook her head, arching her fingers up, and Alphys gasped, collapsing on her and groaning between her teeth, her claws digging into the mattress.

"Ah! Oh god, _oh god, Undyne...!"_  
  
"Tell me what you _want,_ Alphy," Undyne hissed out, her hips grinding up against her wife's. _"Say it!"_  
  
_"Fuck me!"_ Alphys cried out finally, unable to think or say anything else, now. "Undyne, _please,_ Undyne, _please, Undyne, please!"_  
  
Undyne pulled her fingers free, licking them slowly and purring, her eye closing in pleasure. Alphys stared at her, finding not shyness, but pure lust, spike into her at the sight.

Alphys reached down and grabbed Undyne by her slender hips, claws digging in hard, and Undyne arched back, smiling. She shifted, moving one leg to the side, and Alphys followed suit, grabbing the other and hooking Undyne's ankle to her shoulder.

With a hungry groan, Alphys lunged again, kissing Undyne hard at the same time their flesh met, and they both keened out, eyes closing. Undyne reached up and wrapped her arms around Alphys's neck, and Alphys kept herself propped up on one hand, the other holding Undyne's leg up.  
  
_"Now,"_ Undyne begged.  
  
Alphys didn't need to be told twice. She pushed down, hard, and they both moaned, breaking from the kiss to both arch against each other, so close that they could feel their hearts racing against each other briefly.

Alphys shifted for a moment, making sure that their clits touched as close as possible, before she simply lost her mind to Undyne and started to move hard and fast, her body consumed and desperate, now.  
  
Undyne met her every thrust, her every grind, and matched them, gasping and throwing her head back from how amazing it felt. This was the first time that it was less sex or lovemaking, and purely _fucking,_ and it was something that she wasn't sure she even had within herself, let alone within Alphys.

But Alphys definitely knew how to fuck her, and do it well, and she was both amazed and smitten by this discovery. She wondered, now, just how many times Alphys had held back, and decided that she never wanted that to happen ever again.  
  
Alphys could barely breathe. She'd had no idea that sex could be this way, so intense and almost primal in the way they writhed upon such a fancy bed. She knew she was high-strung, knew she loved sex, but this was something in its own category altogether.

When she could, Alphys opened her eyes and looked down at Undyne, and found her wife staring back at her, that green eye ablaze, wearing a smile that was wild and thrilled.  
  
And suddenly she had an idea. She didn't know where it came from, or why, but she couldn't think of anything else, and knew she had to at least try it.

She was always one who tried.  
  
"Un-Undyne..." she growled out, lengthening her strokes for a moment; if she didn't, she knew she'd either come too fast or wear herself out. "Re-reach out t-to me... w-with your... with your soul..."  
  
Undyne blinked, confused. "B-but, you need... _ah, Alphy...!_ B-both hands right n-now..."  
  
"I-I know," Alphys nodded, shutting her eyes. She grabbed Undyne's hands into hers, their fingers entwined, and lowered herself onto her elbows, pinning Undyne's hands to the bed, so that there was no space between them.

Then, Alphys gasped out, "R-reach out th-this way... t-touch m-my soul... I-I want to feel... I w-want to f-feel... _you..._ "  
  
But Undyne had gotten it the moment their bodies were flat against each other, and she was already reaching out, concentrating her power deep within her chest and pushing it out from between her breasts. Alphys did the same, and in that moment their souls floated from beneath their skin and touched each other--  
  
\-- and suddenly, it was _more_ _,_ so much more, than just fucking.

Oh, they didn't stop, didn't slow, and certainly didn't hesitate, especially when Alphys increased the pace again, but both gasped brokenly and were instantly connected, their eyes squeezing shut but their minds so focused it was almost painful.

In that moment, it was more than just experiencing the other, more than just connecting their thoughts and feelings, seeing the other through the eyes of her wife. Something deeper suddenly connected, and that something merged - and practically glued itself together.  
  
Undyne cried out Alphys's name suddenly, feeling something that Alphys did not - not in the same way. She felt something within her take root, attach itself deep within her soul, something that was both herself and Alphys, and it felt so good she practically sobbed. She felt Alphys, deep in her heart and soul, and felt something else, something new and fragile, but also strong and familiar. She didn't understand it, could feel that Alphys didn't, either, but that didn't stop either of them from remaining connected, both in body and in soul.  
  
Alphys felt differently; she felt as if something detached from the deepest part of her soul, only it didn't feel like a loss. Rather, it felt freely given, something she wanted to lose, especially when she heard Undyne sobbing from the pleasure of it. She felt echoes of that pleasure, felt it shake her and move her, and she realised she was starting to lose her hold fast.  
  
"U-Undyne," she gasped, her voice tiny, now. "I-I'm... I'm..."  
  
"Yes," Undyne breathed out, her wet face buried into Alphys's sweaty shoulder, her nails digging into the backs of her hands hard. "Yes... yes... _yes...!"_  
  
_"Undyne!"_ Alphys shouted her wife's name, held her so close, feeling their souls meld and mingle and practically sing, and that pleasure crashed into her, sending her staggering above her wife, barely able to stay upright.  
  
Undyne sobbed out again, only it was mixed with an ecstatic laugh, and she felt her own orgasm rush through her like she were standing under a waterfall, her nails leaving marks in Alphys's hands as her body joined hers in losing control.  
  
It was so intense, their souls still connected, that it lasted longer than either had ever felt before.

Alphys started to sob, then, and Undyne held her tight, the echoes of it slipping through them sweetly like a caress.  
  
The moment it was gone, and their souls drifted back within them, Alphys immediately passed out with a soft cry, her eyes rolling up and her body collapsing as if she'd been dropped.

Undyne tried to grab her, but she fumbled, her own mind starting to cloud over, and soon, she let it, melting beneath Alphys and feeling nothing but her before she blacked out, too.


	27. Shared

To her surprise, Alphys woke up, first. She was confused initially, not just from the fact that she was awake, first, but because, for that moment, she had no idea where she was - until she remembered.

She opened her eyes slowly, feeling very tired, still, and could feel that Undyne was still beneath her, sleeping heavily. She searched Undyne's face closely, seeing both calm and a hint of a smile there, and she felt her heart blossom deep within her.

Gently, feather-light, she touched Undyne's face with the tips of her fingers, tracing her features slowly, lingering over the black marks that she'd already gotten so used to seeing there. Undyne didn't even stir, but remained deep in slumber, lying limp beneath her with her hands still lying close to her ears. Clearly, she hadn't managed to stay awake that much longer than Alphys, but it was still strange that Alphys was the one who woke up first, when usually it was the opposite.

She didn't know how much time had passed between now and when she'd blacked out, but she still felt shaky and strange, regardless. She slowly slid off of Undyne, but remained close to her, curling right up against her with an arm and a leg resting across her body to hold her tighter. Undyne's only reaction was a sigh, but it was enough to make Alphys smile and close her eyes, as well as bury her face into Undyne's shoulder close.

She remained there, listening to Undyne's even breathing, and marvelled at the fact that she was where she was with who she was with.

It was amazing.

Alphys had many moments like this, many times just lying beside her wife and being both bemused and thrilled to be there, but this was very much an exception, considering what had just happened. And she knew that it wasn't just the alcohol - though she knew it certainly had made their words rather loose, and their actions more aggressive, than usual.

And yet... and yet there was that moment, that single pocket of time, in which it was still frantic, still - there was no other word for it - _fucking,_ but threaded with a moment of strange, confusing bliss when their souls connected not through their hands, but through their bodies.

Alphys bit her lip and squirmed a little, her thoughts drawn back to those hazy moments, feeling not just her face, but her whole body, heat up, and she knew it was something she wanted to try again, more than once, if they could.

But she was so _tired._ She felt as if she could sleep again well through the night and into half of the day, too. She didn't blame Undyne for still being deep in sleep, especially since the whole thing had seemed to hit her hardest.

Alphys remembered that, too, remembered their shared shock that Undyne was feeling far more than Alphys, despite being connected, which was something that had never happened before. She remembered being so close to Undyne, being so consumed by her, not just her body but her mind and soul, too.

And for a moment, it seemed like... it seemed like...

 _What?_ Alphys opened her eyes, frowning, her mind a little foggy and her eyelids drooping again. _What was it? What was it that happened? What was that feeling?_

She couldn't figure it out, and it annoyed her. She sighed, trying to go over it more intellectually than emotionally, trying to think with her brain instead of her body, but it was no use; between how spent she was, the rich food and drink, and the factors of the entire day, her brain was mush.

Something in the back of that mush was trying to tell her what it was, was trying to piece everything together to make her understand it, but she wasn't getting it.

Alphys sighed again and snuggled closer to Undyne, who felt strangely warm. She looked up and saw that Undyne looked fine; just a sleeping monster finally getting the rest she deserved. She reached up and lightly pressed her wrist to Undyne's forehead, but though it was still warmer than usual, it wasn't hot or sweaty, so she wasn't worried.

Undyne stirred a little, but when Alphys pulled away, she relaxed.

 _I'm overthinking things, as usual,_ Alphys decided.

It was likely the fact that the sex had been so good and so intense that she was confused. With a shrug, she grabbed one of the blankets they'd kicked off from the floor, spread it out over them both, and curled back up against Undyne's side, closing her eyes and smiling faintly. Within minutes, she was back asleep.

* * *

There was no sunlight that broke through the windows of the room to wake them. Instead, magical stones called sunstones shone through from inside the room along the walls, simulating that light.

When Undyne woke up, she saw it and was amazed by how weak it was compared to the real sunlight, especially as this light had absolutely no feeling to it, like real sunlight through a window did. She inhaled slowly, closing her eye again and stretching a little - and then grinned, when that gesture reminded her that she wasn't alone. She looked down and saw Alphys curled up in a ball beside her, sleeping soundly despite the rays of the sunstones, and her heart gave a little jump at the sight.

Gently, she turned on her side so that she could face Alphys, reaching out and curving a hand around her cheek, her fingers lingering over her skin, her heart aching.

Within herself, she felt so complete, so full and brimming over, and yet she still wished she could take more and more. And she knew it was because of Alphys, and only Alphys. Only her wife could make her feel this way, and had long before she was even her wife.

Echoes of the night before shivered through her, and she closed her eye for a moment, letting them. Nothing had ever felt like that, and in a way, she could still feel it if she concentrated a little - a warmth in her chest, a shudder in her soul - and she loved it. Touching Alphys, even just on her cheek, intensified those feelings and made them feel even more clear. Her eye stung, and her throat clogged up, but she was still smiling.

She knew what had happened.

She didn't know how she knew, but she did.

She hadn't known it would happen the moment they connected, but she did now, could feel it as easily as she felt breath fill her lungs, and she couldn't help but cry from it. She moved closer and pulled Alphys into her arms, biting down hard onto her lip to try and muffle the sounds of her tears, but failed miserably.

Alphys woke up immediately and held her tight, looking up at her in concern and fear. Undyne stared at her, searching her gaze, and realised that she had no idea at all what had happened, and why she was crying.

And there, right there, for reasons she didn't quite fathom, she decided to keep it to herself.

It wasn't totally unfair, as she wasn't completely sure, herself, and could be mistaken very easily. She didn't want to say anything, only to have to take it back later.

It was better to know for sure, to know without a doubt, before she even confessed her assumptions.

"Undyne?" Alphys murmured, reaching up and brushing her tears away gently. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she replied honestly, giving her a kiss on the tip of her nose. "I'm just... last night was... it was incredible, Alphy."

Alphys smiled faintly, blushing, and she moved closer, hugging onto Undyne tight and resting her cheek against Undyne's chest, closing her eyes.

"It was amazing," she agreed softly.

Undyne rested her head atop of hers, cuddling her closer, swallowing hard but still unable to stop crying.

"B-but why does that make you cry?" Alphys added, noticing.

Undyne closed her eye tight. "Because... because..." She hesitated. "Because that kind of emotion, that kind of feeling... I never knew it existed, Alphy."

"Me neither," Alphys agreed.

"And knowing it does, now," Undyne went on, her voice wavering. "I... I don't ever want to lose it. I don't ever want to lose you."

Alphys's eyes opened. "You won't," she promised. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Alphy, I almost lost you twice," Undyne answered, her voice a little sharp. "The first time... that first time... I did for real. It was only pure luck that saved you."

"But I'm still here," Alphys insisted, gently digging her claws into Undyne's back for emphasis. "I'm not going anywhere, Undyne. Because... I f-feel the same as you. I don't want to lose you, but especially I don't want to lose what we have together."

Undyne curled up around her, holding her tight, something that had Alphys curling up with her.

"Nothing will ever make me leave you, Undyne," she whispered. _"Nothing."_

"Alphy..." Undyne murmured, her voice breaking.

Alphys dug her claws in again, and Undyne started to cry harder, unable to word her feelings any longer.

Alphys understood, and held her tight, comforting her through it - though not without shedding a few tears of her own.

* * *

 They stayed in bed for a while, talking about silly things as well as serious things. Most of this was spent close together, fingers tangling or toes touching, always something in contact, so that they wouldn't be without it even for a second. It was the kind of contentment that comes after much emotion has been spent, and with it a tenderness that was just as precious.

Undyne wouldn't of minded spending the entire day in that bed with Alphys, even if it meant they survived on the leftovers they'd managed to smuggle from the surface into their phones.

But it wasn't even an hour into this bliss that it was interrupted - and then broken - by a single text message, one they both received:

_"Ladies, it's Asgore. I do hope you're up by now. I was hoping you would be able to come to see me at my place, so that we can discuss how to proceed. I have the idea of you presenting your idea of a small group of monsters from the balcony of the Palace, in order to spread interest and perhaps raise a larger number. What say you? Please respond within the hour to let me know, and I'll have tea waiting for you."_

"Damn," Undyne sighed, dropping the phone back onto the bed and leaning back, covering her eyes with her arm. "I was hoping he'd forget about everything and just let us live here forever."

Alphys giggled. "Tempting," she agreed, one hand trailing slowly up and down Undyne's arm. "But he's right. The sooner we start, the sooner we can finish. And who knows? Maybe we'll have more people ready, which means more people to help it start to grow, more and more."

Undyne lowered her arm and looked at her fondly, and she smiled back, blushing a little. "That's a good point," she admitted softly, her other hand reaching up and trailing her fingertips lightly over Alphys's features, making her close her eyes and lean into it. "We shouldn't deny people the chance if they want to take it."

"Right," Alphys agreed softly, her cheeks blushing deeper, her voice sounding oddly distracted. "W-we need to start, somewhere. The bigger the number, the-the better the opportunity."

Undyne eyed her closely, slowly grinning. "Alphy," she said.

"Mm...?" Alphys replied, her hand slowing a little in its caresses as she shifted closer to her.

Undyne laughed, startling Alphys into opening her eyes, but by the time she had, Undyne had already tackled her to the bed and started kissing her. She giggled, kissing her back, and realising that she was probably as transparent as glass when it came to her feelings around Undyne.

But that was okay with her. She didn't want to be anything but - especially with Undyne.


	28. Teamwork

When the two got to Asgore's, they were surprised to find that it was just going to be the three of them. As Asgore greeted them each with a hug and a kiss, they both looked around him, expecting either sans or Mettaton to suddenly show up with a snarky comment - especially after the way things had ended the night before.

But, no, once they were seated at the small table with both a mug of fresh golden flower tea and some biscuits, Asgore explained their lack.

"Mettaton explained to me before he left last night that he was eager to..." He paused, thinking. "How did he put it? 'Give the viewers what they were clearly yearning for,' I believe was how he worded it."

Undyne snorted into her tea, but Alphys smiled all the same. It sounded like him, really. Many people would peg Mettaton as a glory-hungry narcissist who only cared about himself, and perhaps part of that was true, and what had initially given him the drive to brand himself.

But she also knew that the near-massacre had changed him, and he truly meant it when he said he wanted to give to his fanbase - and especially give _back_ to that fanbase, too. In a way, she was very proud of him for that.

"What about sans?" Undyne wondered.

Asgore made a face, as though his tea had scalded his tongue, though he hadn't had any. "He was very evasive when I asked this morning. He kept saying things like, 'out', or 'somewhere', or 'wherever'. It was very unhelpful, and he wouldn't explain to me beyond that."

Undyne was quiet, taking the time to sip her tea. She thought about it, thought about sans, and wondered if he'd just gone home to mourn for a while. She wouldn't blame him - but she also envied that strength, as she, herself, was nowhere even close to being strong enough to return to Waterfall or Snowdin to properly scatter and mourn the dead.

It shamed her, but whenever she thought about it, she felt sick, inside, and knew she just wasn't ready, yet.

 _Well,_ she thought, her thoughts straying inward. _If I'm right, I'll have little excuse to put it off for much longer._ Her eye drifted to Alphys, who was also looking contemplative. _But at least I won't be alone._

However small that was, it was an immense comfort on a grief so large. Especially if she was right. And despite it all, she wanted to be right.

"Undyne," Asgore suddenly said, startling her. She blinked, her head shooting up in surprise, and he suddenly eyed her closely, his eyes narrowed. "Are you alright?"

"I'm... uh..." She swallowed. "I'm just tired. And worried." She hurried on, before he could ask anything else, especially since he looked as if he wanted to - and he was one of the few people she could keep very little from. "What did you think we should say to everyone?"

Asgore glared at her for a moment, clearly noticing that he was being deflected and not liking it one bit.

Alphys noticed, surprised to see him looking at Undyne that way, and she looked over to her wife curiously, noticing that she did indeed look a little guilty.

Yet instead of calling her out on it, Asgore answered her question, though his voice was a little tight. "I was thinking that you could tell them about what the surface has been like for us, so far."

"Er," Alphys broke in, blushing. Absently, she rubbed her chest a little. "I think they already know enough about that."

"No, see, that's exactly the point, Alphys," Asgore corrected, though kindly. "All they've really seen are your troubles. No matter how often I try to tell them that things aren't that way all the time, all they are able to focus on are the dangers that you two faced - because now, when they think of humans, that's all they can see."

"Oh," Alphys murmured, looking down into her cup. She hadn't thought of that.

Undyne looked sombre. "That kind of shit isn't going to happen again," she said, her voice sharp. "No one, least of all a human, is gonna have a chance to so much as breathe funny at us ever again."

Asgore again eyed her closely, clearly thinking deeply.

But again, he didn't voice it.

"They need to know that, Undyne," he agreed softly. "They need to know that the two of you are safe, have been safe for several weeks, and that any dangers you faced were dealt with swiftly and safely, and that there is no reason to fear the surface."

"B-but," Alphys suddenly said, still staring into her cup, though her face was drawn and sad. "That's not true, Asgore. They have plenty to fear on the surface. They could easily be hurt and killed, and anyone willing to come back with us has the right to know that risk - and understand and accept it."

She looked up, and her eyes glinted yellow, her face set. Both Asgore and Undyne stared at her, still unused to seeing that look within her.

"You know I'm right," she added.

They both hesitated, then nodded, Asgore sighing a little. It was true, and there was no denying it. To pretend there was no risk would only bring even more risk to those involved. The people who wanted to come to the surface, first, had every single right to understand that. And if they still wanted to come along, at least then they would be ready to take that risk fully prepared.

"But how do we word it in a way that doesn't scare everyone away?" Undyne wondered, her chin in her hand, her eye narrowed and dark with anger. "After that human fell, the surface looks less like a haven and more like a graveyard, especially since everyone knows for sure that there are other humans just like that one already on the surface. How can we word it to make the risks known, but still attract people?"

"What if we can't get anyone to come with us?" Alphys added, her voice low. "What if the risk is just too big, the fear too much, and no one wants to even try?" Her expression fell further. "I can understand that. I can't blame anyone for being scared. But we never really considered the possibility that no one would even _want_ to come with us, have we?"

Undyne suddenly slammed her cup onto the table, so hard that the dishes rattled. Asgore and Alphys jumped, and she looked up, her eye darting between both of them as she spoke, her voice a growl.

"That's why we're _here,_ Alphy. That's why we're back here, right now, at this moment! Our job is to make everyone see that the surface _is_ the future, and that though it'll be hard, yes, and risky, it's _our future_. It always has been. If anything, the fact that that human came down here and killed so many of us just proves it to be true!"

She was shaking, her voice having risen the more she spoke. "I'm not saying threaten them, or make them feel like they _have_ to, but rather, to make them _see_ that this is the right thing to do! Because it _is!_ We belong there! We belonged there before we were sealed here, and we still belong! And we'll _never stop belonging!_ We just have to learn how to make space for ourselves, again! And that I _know_ we can do!"

Asgore stared at her, speechless, but Alphys was smiling, nodding slowly. Undyne looked over at her, and now was unable to look away.

"It's our future, Alphy," she said, her voice still strong and clear. "Especially now. Now more than ever before. Of course it's scary - _I'm_ _still scared_ \- but it's where we belong!"

Asgore's eyes suddenly widened in shock, his hands tightening around his mug so tightly that he almost broke it before he stopped himself. He stared at Undyne, his mind racing alongside his heart, and suddenly, he knew, too. He knew, and he had to fight to keep himself from weeping.

"You-you're right," Alphys agreed softly, reaching out and touching Undyne's trembling hand, taking it into hers and holding it tight. "And... and I think that's what they need to hear."

"Huh?" Undyne blinked, for a moment thrown. "What do you mean?"

"They need to know that, despite our own work, that _we're_ still afraid. That we're afraid, too. And that their fear isn't bad, or unfounded, or even out of place. It's natural to be afraid. But it's _despite_ that fear that we still keep working, that we still keep fighting," Alphys explained, her eyes softening. "Because it's the truth. And the prize is worth the risk."

"Yes," Undyne rasped out, squeezing Alphys's hand tight. "Exactly. That's exactly it."

"The question we have now, then," Asgore broke in carefully, keeping his voice steady. "How do we word that in a way that they will understand?"

Undyne sighed. "I'm shit at speeches, to be honest. I work better if I have something to read in front of me."

"Actually, er," Alphys corrected shyly. "Th-that's not true. I've noticed, it's easier for you, yes. But... when you speak from the heart, Undyne, you convey a great deal more than you would reciting something on a piece of paper. And it means so much more, because it's from your heart and not that paper."

Asgore nodded, sipping his tea slowly.

Undyne scratched at her cheek, suddenly shy, herself. "Really? Are you just kidding with me? Or are you for real?"

"For real," Alphys answered firmly, nodding.

"I really had no idea," Undyne admitted, her hand to her cheek, still. "Huh. That's... kinda cool."

Alphys grinned up at her, taking her hand and squeezing it.

"But that still gives us the same question," Asgore interjected gently.

"Well, we know what we want to say, and we know that we want to be honest," Undyne began, but again Alphys interrupted.

"You, Undyne," she corrected. "It has to be you that says the speech, not us."

She turned to her, confused - and looking actually very upset by this. "What? Why? What do you mean, Alphy? You... you don't want to be there?"

Alphys scowled at her, for some reason making her feel better. "Of course I'll be there, Undyne! I'm your queen, right?"

When Undyne nodded, smiling faintly, she went on. "So of course I need to be there. But the words, the explanation, they need to hear from _you."_

"May I interject, please?" Asgore wondered softly, holding up a hand before Undyne could continue to argue with her.

He looked right into Alphys's eyes, surprising her with that. "Alphys, Undyne is certainly a force of her own, and certainly doesn't need help in many, many things."

Undyne beamed at him, blushing in pleasant surprise.

"But there's also no denying that, when she's needed you, you've stepped in without question and helped her - and done it in a way without embarrassing her. I think that is what she is referring to when she means she needs you."

Undyne was nodding, but Alphys was blushing. "Isn't that bad, though?" she wondered. "Shouldn't Undyne be seen as strong without me? Isn't it a sign of weakness if she were to depend on me?"

"No," Asgore answered immediately. "If she were the sole monarch, yes. But you are married, and you have taken the title of Queen, Alphys. That comes with responsibility not only to your people, but your wife, as well."

He blinked hard for a moment, his voice catching, and he took a sip of his tea to mask it. "It's a partnership. It will always be a partnership, so long as you are married."

Alphys blushed deeper and looked down, but not because she was embarrassed. Rather, she was ashamed that she had to bring painful memories to Asgore in order to understand something.

But Alphys did understand, absolutely, with that. She looked up at Undyne again, who looked back with a gentle smile. She didn't seem offended that she would sometimes need Alphys, and in fact, she looked relieved. That, in turn, made Alphys feel relieved, as the last thing she wanted was to embarrass her.

Asgore watched them carefully in silence, ruminating both over what he now knew and what he was seeing. He was seeing a couple that had, in such a short span of time, taken all that they were given and kept going despite it - _in spite_ of it - and they were still ready for more, so long as they had each other. He wondered how Alphys would react, but instantly answered his own question: she would likely never, ever go anywhere ever again once she found out - if she didn't already know.

But oddly, it didn't seem like she knew, which was why Asgore kept his silence. He knew her, and knew that if she did, she would be more protective, fussier, and especially more defensive of Undyne. He couldn't see anyone, anyone in the world, who would have been a better partner for Undyne, and was so proud that he was able to see it.

"Asgore," Undyne suddenly said, looking over at him. "Would you like to say something, too? I mean, everyone has looked to you as their King for ages. Wouldn't it be weird to suddenly have me and Alphy show up without you and take your place?"

Asgore smiled. "I do plan to be with you, yes," he agreed. "But unless asked, I think a silent support is best for me."

"But, Asgore--,"

"I'm not done," he cut in a trace sharply, raising his eyebrows at her, like he used to when she was younger and kept interrupting him petulantly. "Again, you haven't seen the changes that have happened over the course of this upended month. The moment they were told that you were Empress and that I had stepped down, there was some protest - especially from the older generations - but the ones who had seen your battle against the human, and later, when they had heard and seen your progress on the surface, they had no problem accepting you as their new ruler. In fact, they seem to be more optimistic just thinking about it - especially since Alphys is with you."

"Er," Alphys said softly, "what do I have to do with that?"

"Alphys," Asgore said with a sigh, looking at her with a tired glance. "You stepped up and helped the rest of the monsters outside of the city band together and evacuate. You kept them safe, at the risk of yourself and the amalgamates in the True Lab. You ripped yourself open and bared your shame in order to save their lives, and they love you for it, despite their initial shock. Of course you mean something to them."

Alphys's expression fell. "The-the amalgamates," she whispered. "They-they're with their families now, right?"

Asgore nodded. "Yes," he agreed softly. "And while they were angry at first, once they - the ones left, that is - were able to finally get used to their family members the way that they are, now, they realised that they were just glad that they had survived at all, and that their families were complete once more. And the ones without, the ones who lost their families, they are still connected through the other amalgamates, and have a family with them, still."

Alphys's eyes filled, and she lowered her head, biting her lip. That was something she'd never expected, at all, and it both hurt and healed her heart.

Undyne noticed, and slipped her arm around her shoulders and held her close.

"I-in that case," Alphys murmured. "I... I've nothing to hide, anymore."

"Nope," Undyne agreed. "And they still love you for it."

Asgore smiled at them both. "Then you accept? You'll address them?"

They both nodded with a shared smile.

"Alright," Asgore concluded, finishing his tea with one hearty gulp. "Let's go prepare."


	29. Audience

It was getting easier, Undyne realised, this talking-to-crowds thing. She more she did it, the less anxious she felt. And she really appreciated that.

Granted, perhaps with monsters, it would always be easier, especially since she already knew so many of them, and they knew her. But it was still a little unnerving to discover just how many people had gathered to listen to her that afternoon.

Asgore was thrilled. "At least a thousand," he reported, beaming.

She snorted. "You're exaggerating, as usual."

"I highly doubt that," he answered, raising his eyebrows. "You _know_ just how many people were in the city at the time of the attacks. I know outside of the city it was near-genocide, but there are several thousand people living in the city, and you've forgotten that. Haven't you?"

Undyne opened her mouth to snort again, then paused.

They were standing in the small room just outside of the balcony's entrance, and while Alphys was distracted - Mettaton had arrived and begged to be allowed to film it all from as close as possible, and while she'd agreed, she did _not_ agree with his idea of commentary over it - she and Asgore took the time to discuss the numbers.

"Are you being serious with me?" she wondered, eyeing him closely.

"Of course I am; when have I ever not been?"

He had her there, and she nodded, feeling a flutter of nervousness in her belly, one she put her hand over and had to take a deep breath from.

While it was true that public speaking was getting easier, there was still part of her that wondered what the hell she thought she was doing.

She was the Captain of the Royal Guard, not a royal. But then, all she had to do was look at her robes, or her face in the mirror, and be reminded that that was no longer the truth.

She _was_ the Empress. She was the Empress of the Underground. And that meant being brave, despite being nervous or afraid.

Asgore looked at her intently when he saw that gesture, then moved closer, leaning down to one of her ears, and saying softly, "Does she know?"

Undyne's eye snapped open, shock flooding her system, and her hand jerked away, covering her mouth, instead. She looked up at him, speechless, but there was no doubt on his face or in his voice.

He knew.

It took a moment for her to figure out _how_ he would know, but then, when she thought about it, it was rather obvious.

Of course he knew; he'd seen it before, experienced it before, and while certainly not in the same circumstances, the results were likely the same.

"N-no," she whispered, her eye flicking to Alphys, who was still arguing with Mettaton, her hands gesticulating in the air with every word. "I-I didn't even know until this morning. It... happened last night."

Asgore stared at her in shock this time, his eyes wide. "How can you possibly know _already,_ then?"

"I dunno," she admitted, her cheeks heating up and her gaze falling to the floor. "I just... _do."_

"But why haven't you told her, yet?"

"Because... I want to be certain. I want to make sure, one hundred and ten percent, before I tell her, just in case... something goes wrong. I don't want to get her hopes up, only to have to destroy them." Her expression fell. "She deserves better than that."

Asgore hesitated, then moved closer and hugged her tight, surprising her.

When she was about to add something sarcastic, she stopped, because in that moment, she realised he was crying, and she suddenly held onto him tight, closing her eye and rubbing his back.

He tried to speak, but only got out choked nonsense, but nonetheless she understood him, and rubbed his back, gently, smiling faintly. It was how she felt, too, quite honestly.

"Undyne? Asgore?" Alphys suddenly said, startling them both into breaking apart. She looked worried, her hands held up in front of her and tangling nervously. "I-is everything okay? Wh-why is Asgore...? Why are...? What's happened?!"

By the last question, she had come forward and grabbed Undyne's hands into hers, searching her face in fear.

Asgore cleared his throat and turned away, nodding, while Undyne smiled, pulling one hand away to touch her cheek. "Everything's fine, Alphy. I promise."

"Are you sure?" Alphys pressed, holding her other hand between both of hers, now. _"Are_ you alright, Undyne?"

Undyne nodded, still smiling gently. "Yes. Asgore's just overwhelmed, with all of this change."

Asgore nodded with her. It was true, after all. "Yes," he agreed hoarsely. "It's just... I'm very proud of you both."

Alphys blushed, then looked up at Undyne closely, before she, too, nodded. "O-okay," she finally said. "I trust you." She smiled. "Mettaton will record the speech, but he's promised to keep silent until after we're done. It's the best we could ask for, really."

"That's good," Undyne agreed. "Did you find a way to splice it so that the surface will get it, too?"

"Yes," Alphys said cheerfully. "They'll be able to see it online. I sent the site address to both Laurel and Cathy."

Undyne sighed, swallowing hard, her eye flashing with brief panic before she looked over at the doorway leading to the balcony.

"Well," she said softly. "Might as well get this over with then, right?"

Alphys let go of her hand and hugged her tight, something that made her swallow again and hug back close.

"You can do this, Undyne," Alphys murmured. "I know you can."

"As do I," Asgore added, placing a hand to her back gently.

Undyne grinned. "Then I can. Let's do this."

* * *

 Hand-in-hand, they walked onto the balcony, and Alphys could feel Undyne's hand shaking within hers - just like her own. Undyne's eye was trained ahead, its brilliant colour even brighter, her jaw set. But they held on tight, not once letting go - especially when their eyes finally fell on the crowd beneath them.

The moment that happened, Alphys suddenly felt the blood leave her face, and she realised that Asgore not only hadn't been exaggerating, but he had actually been _underestimating._

Before and below them was a sea of people, so many faces looking up at them in eager anticipation. Alphys looked around, and saw that not only were the streets and sidewalks below packed, but there were even people on the roofs of the nearest houses and apartments. She started shaking, wishing she had worn more than just her wedding dress, as she felt dreadfully exposed without something to hide behind. She looked up at Undyne, who wore her Empress robes, and bit her lip, her eyes wide.

Undyne's eye was filling with tears, her face shocked. She couldn't move, though the grip on Alphys's hand stayed tight. As she watched, those tears fell free and down her cheeks, but she didn't brush them away.

Alphys wondered if she even knew that they were there.

It was clear, however, that Undyne was taken aback, and hadn't expected this kind of reception.

And suddenly the moment they were in sight, it was as if Alphys had gone deaf, though that wasn't the case - quite the opposite. Hundreds of voices suddenly rose up in a cadence of shared joy from seeing them at last, a sound so loud it was like white noise, and Alphys staggered from it, shocked.

Undyne quickly tugged on her hand to keep her on her feet, her moves so subtle that both were certain no one but Asgore and Mettaton saw, and Alphys was grateful.

They stopped in front of the microphone, and Undyne let go of Alphys's hand to adjust the height of the microphone.

There was a long moment before the chorus of voices finally faded, but once it did, Undyne said, very softly, "Hello."

She heard her voice echo out to the masses, and again there was a cheer. It was softer, but no less comforting, and she suddenly felt herself relaxing at last. She smiled faintly, examining the crowd and seeing some faces she recognised - as well as noticing the lack of those she wished she could see there - but she could feel her words bubbling up within her, and she wasn't going to quit, now.

"I'm sure a lot of you remember me from when I was younger and ran around causing property damage to your stores and yards."

There was a small scattering of laughter at that, and she smiled.

"And I'm aware that a lot you can't see beyond that, despite the fact that, _hey,_ I did my time! More than once! And well!" She grinned, her hands going to her hips, and the laughter was louder, this time. Her heart pounded hard in her chest, and she felt giddy.

"But even if you don't remember me from then, I'm sure you all know me, now." Her smile faded, and her hands fell to her sides, her expressing softening. "And I want you to know that, even though I don't know all of you by name or face - yet - there hasn't been a day that's gone by that I haven't thought of all of you, and that what I'm doing, now, is for all of you."

Alphys smiled up at her, though she kept her hands folded in front of her to mask their shaking. She couldn't look at the crowd, yet; it was too unsettling. But looking at Undyne was always a comfort, and she was proud of her wife, already - so proud.

"Ever since I touched that last soul, all of you became my responsibility," Undyne continued softly. "That only grew the moment I broke the barrier and set foot on the surface. And it's something I refuse to _ever_ take lightly. As long as I'm your Empress, as long as I'm here on this world and able to fight, my fights will always be for all of you."

She hesitated, her voice wavering a little at the last few words. "I-I know I failed many of you, that I went into action too late, and now so many of us are dead, and needlessly. I regret that. I'm so sorry for that. And I know, because of that, you're all afraid to come to the surface. And I don't blame you."

There was a soft hush over the crowd over those words.

Alphys shifted her eyes to them, noticing that the expressions she was close enough to see weren't angry, but surprised.

"It would be stupid for me not to admit that the prospect of all of us going to the surface scares me, because it does."

Her eye shifted to Alphys for a moment, and again she took her wife's hand and held it. "It truly does."

Her eye then moved back. "But I'm still gonna do it. I'm still gonna go back, and I'm still gonna fight for us, despite still being scared, because if we can do this - _when_ we do this - the reward will be immense. It won't replace the lives we... lost..." Her voice broke, and she paused, closing her eye and biting her lip hard, hurriedly choking back tears, but with little success. "B-but it will honour their sacrifice, and we'll always remember them for what they paid to get us there, always."

She paused again, and was greeted by bated silence. All attention was on her, now, and she took a deep breath in order to collect herself. Alphys rubbed her hand slowly, and that helped a great deal.

"I-I'm here, as your Empress, and also as that stupid brat that drove you crazy, but who also grew up, and learnt her lessons, and became stronger. And I'm here to ask you to consider coming back to the surface with me. With _us."_

She looked over at Alphys and smiled, and Alphys smiled back, still beaming at her. "With my Queen, Alphy," she added.

Then she turned back to face the ground, her face red. "But _you_ have to call her _Queen_   _Alphys,"_ she suddenly added, her voice so fierce that it brought more laughter (though she wasn't kidding).

"The two of us, together, we'll work with every fibre of our being, every speck of dust within us, to make sure that you're safe. Because we both know, personally, how bad it can be when things go so, so wrong..." Her expression fell. "As I'm sure all of you remember..."

Undyne suddenly lost her words from that, and she felt a wave of panic fill her. She paled, her face going right to Alphys, and she looked suddenly desperate.

Alphys nodded and moved over, Undyne making room and lowering the mic for her, before taking her hand again.

"I-I..." Alphys started, blushing when she stammered. "You... you saw what happened to me when we presented our outline to the humans. I... I was sh-shot, and it looked bad, I know. But I survived. And even though they tried again, later, they failed. I... I can't... I  _won't_ lie to any of you... not anymore..."

She flinched, lowering her head, unable to look at any of them now. "I've lied too much and for too long. I refuse to do it anymore. It... it's going to be dangerous. There will be humans who don't like us, who may act similarly to the one who brought us to this fate, b-but..."

Her mind was suddenly drawn back to the humans she'd befriended, the ones who'd defended her, who'd become her friends, who she trusted.

"There are far more good humans than bad ones," she admitted, her voice stronger. "These humans are wonderful. They will defend you, befriend you, see beyond what they feel is different - or, even better, love those differences - and will never, ever lose your trust." She smiled faintly. "They're worth the risk, I think. So very much."

She then looked up at Undyne, who was smiling at her fondly, looking calmer, and gently, she pulled Undyne back to the mic, who readjusted it again, ready once more to speak.

"To reiterate," Undyne said clearly, her voice calm, now. "We want to start anew on the surface, but we need you. We need people who can build, people who can work, people who know how to do these things in order to make a home for us on the surface. We'll be right at the base of the mountain, so we won't even be far from home, should those of you wanting to stay miss us and want us to come back for visits."

She paused. "I can't stress enough that there is no shame in staying here - staying Underground. But for those of you willing to be brave, to face that fear, take it into themselves, and recognise that the rewards outweigh the risks, _we need you._ We need you _so much._ Alphy and I - we need you, and we _want_ you there. So, please, take it into consideration, think about it long and hard, and then let the Palace know. The sooner we have the people we need, the sooner we can start, and the sooner the surface will become safe for all of us."

She swallowed, taking a shaky breath, before she said, "Thank you so much, for everything. I mean that."

She stepped back, about to walk back the way she came, but she froze; again there was that cacophony of white noise, that deafening wave of cheers and support, and she was held motionless by it. Alphys was, too, though she held Undyne's hand tight, her mouth open a little in shock.

No one was angry, as far as they could see. No one was hateful, or spiteful.

If anything, it looked as if all who came there _knew_ all of the risks ahead of time, and had come in spite of them.

They'd been right all along.


	30. Interlude Three: Misguided

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dedicate this Interlude to Glavenus :P

At first, Flowey didn't understand what was going on in the Ruins amongst the survivors. He noticed that, despite recent weeks, there was a sudden increase in activity, one he knew the Ruins had never seen in decades. He was curious if anything else, and he very carefully made sure to follow the few residents left within his grounds of play to see where they were going - and what they were saying.

They were a simple folk, the ones in the Ruins. But the ones who had reunited with their lost family members - the amalgamates that his own creator had created - and in turn taken in the ones now without those families, he learnt from them what was truly going on.

And he didn't like it.

They were talking about going to the surface.

About how Undyne, once the annoying Captain of the Royal Guard, was now the Empress of all of them, and that she had plans to bring them all to the surface.

He didn't like that.

Not at all.

There was no fun to be had on the surface. There was no joy, no happiness.

Only pain and death, suffering and loss.

But then he heard the single thing that tipped him over the edge, that made him see red, and that made him realise that he couldn't let it happen. He _couldn't_ let anyone leave the surface, especially being led by the ones who wanted to lead them.

Because one of those people was _Alphys._

That mad scientist who had ruined his death, and destroyed his life.

And she was acting as _Queen,_ a role that didn't belong to her, but one who was now dust - settled to rest, now, true - but it was never meant to be anyone else's.

Least of all _that_ depraved, insane person.

He'd known that Alphys had survived being killed on the surface, and that it had been Chara's idea. He always assumed that it was because Chara had wanted the world to remain, and if Alphys had died, Undyne would have destroyed everything.

Saving Alphys, he figured, was the only way to prevent that, and he'd managed to overlook that for the sake of staying alive.

But, _this?_ Alphys, as _Queen?_ Alphys, ruling over _them,_ too?

Perhaps he'd heard the rumours, before, when he'd snuck around to try and harass people, to instill discontent for his own entertainment. But now he wondered, if he had, he simply let it slide off of his mind, simply because he didn't want it to be true.

He didn't want to face the reality that not only was his death-destroyer _thriving,_ but a _ruler._

And that he was now a deposed prince.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt rage surge through him, tinting his vision with red.

The monsters couldn't be allowed on the surface. They would all die.

He knew how brutal humans were, knew how easily they killed. He was what he was _because_ of that bloodlust, that disregard for life. And while he didn't really care about any of them personally, he cared about them intellectually, like one would care about an intricate set of tools or a years-long collection of artwork.

And suddenly, he had an idea.

A way that would suddenly make things right, again. A way that would erase not only this entire thing, but this entire _timeline._

He paused, feeling out with his meagre power, searching for Chara's, just for a moment. But he couldn't feel them anywhere, not even close by, and for the first time in a long time, he grinned.

For the first time, he was glad they weren't there. He was glad they had no idea what he planned.

With an acerbic laugh, he vanished beneath the ground, and was gone.


	31. Amazed

The moment they were clear of either Mettaton's camera or the balcony, Undyne and Alphys grabbed onto each other and kissed, clinging so hard they both trembled - or maybe they were still shaking from the thrill of it all.  
  
Between kisses, Undyne said, "Oh, god - Alphy - _thank you_ \- you're _amazing_ \- I love you - _I love you_ \- _Alphy..."_  
  
Alphys tried to respond, but every time she tried, she was kissed again, and eventually she gave up. Once Undyne ran out of words and just kissed her, deeply, she couldn't think of what she wanted to say, anyway - especially when she found herself pushed up against the closest wall and held onto so intensely that she stumbled - but didn't for a second stop returning that kiss.  
  
"Sorry..."  
  
Undyne froze, her eye squeezing shut, before she broke from the kiss to look up and at the source of this single word.

Distantly, she could still hear the crowds, their cheers like the sound of rushing water, and it only made her heart race faster.

Alphys leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes and trying to catch her breath, having to hold onto Undyne's forearms to stay on her feet; she either hadn't heard, or didn't care (it was the former).  
  
"Ladies," Asgore said gently, clearing his throat and blushing a bit, looking both embarrassed and happy.  
  
Alphys then jumped and looked over, her eyes going so wide that it actually was kind of amazing to see. "E-er!" she stammered, looking up at Undyne in slight panic, before turning her head away and hiding her face in Undyne's shoulder.  
  
Undyne smiled faintly, easing away a little, but Alphys remained hiding, and she let her. "Hey," she said softly to Asgore. "How'd we do?"  
  
"You were..." He swallowed, walking over to them, hesitating for a moment, before he leaned down and grabbed them both into a tight hug.

Alphys squeaked, but Undyne laughed, one arm going up and half-returning it, the other still around Alphys.  
  
"Amazing," he finished, his voice choked. He kissed Undyne's cheek gently, before he pulled away and cupped her face into his hands. "You were _incredible,_ my dears. I'm so proud of you."  
  
Undyne bit her lip, her eye burning. Alphys looked up and smiled at Asgore, then at Undyne, clearly agreeing, but still too shy to speak just yet.  
  
"It... didn't suck, huh?" Undyne managed to say, her voice shaky and her smile crooked.  
  
"Undyne!" Alphys suddenly said sharply, surprising both her and Asgore. She was glaring at her wife, pulling her arms away to cross them over her chest.

"Of course it didn't! You were..." She smiled, then, so brightly that Undyne's heart stuttered. "You were _beautiful!"_  
  
Asgore nodded, pulling his hands from Undyne's face to brush his tears away. "Truly, Undyne, you were," he agreed. "I... I'm so... I've never felt so vindicated, trusting you with this. You're the kind of ruler that I _should_ have been, but never could be."  
  
"But--," she protested.  
  
"I am not done," he replied. "This isn't me putting myself down, but stating facts. You have stepped up and rallied our people so quickly and so finely and in a way I never could, simply because I had lost hope." He smiled at her again. "But you, dear daughter... you _are_ hope."  
  
Undyne blushed. "That was so cheesy," she said, but her voice wobbled, and her eye filled with tears.  
  
Mettaton suddenly burst from the balcony's entrance, his face elated. "They're still cheering!" he cried, losing all of his calm in this moment. "They're still cheering for you, for both of you!"

His eyes went to Alphys, who went scarlet and tried to hide her face again. He fumbled for a moment with both his camera and his phone, holding up the latter to the three of them. The screen was filling with messages, all of them about the two, and most had a great deal of happy faces and exclamation points.

"You're like catnip to them!" he concluded, dancing a little on the spot in his own glee.  
  
Alphys covered her mouth and, to her added embarrassment, started to sob. It wasn't just loud crying, but the kind that was uncontrollable, the kind that was expressed through the entire body. She shut her eyes and tried to shut up, to stop it, but doing so only made it worse, and she looked away, hunching over and leaning against the wall, still trembling.  
  
Undyne immediately pulled her close again, and though she tried to pull away, Undyne simply kept her in place until she finally buried her face into her chest and just let loose, her arms wrapping around her wife and holding tight.

Undyne closed her eye and bit her lip, but she was smiling, because she knew that Alphys cried from both shock and relief.  
  
Mettaton's expression fell when he saw Alphys's reaction, misinterpreting it at first, until he met Undyne's gaze. Her smile to him was gentle, and he relaxed a little.  
  
"Surprise," Undyne added softly, and he nodded, a hand to his chest in relief.  
  
Asgore looked similarly worried, but also calmed once Undyne said that. "I can understand her feelings," he admitted, placing a hand on one of Alphys's shaking shoulders. "You expected to fail, did you not?"  
  
"Always," Undyne agreed, resting her cheek atop Alphys's head and slowly rubbing her back. "I figured we'd maybe get a few courtesy claps and some embarrassed coughs. I never thought people would actually go crazy like that."  
  
"Now that you know better, what do you plan to do with that information?" Asgore wondered.  
  
Undyne bit her lip, her eye glinting a little. "I think... I think I want to..."

She hesitated, then just blurted it out. "I think I _need_ to go back - not to the surface, but the way I came. Where it all started..."  
  
Both Mettaton and Asgore jumped, and Alphys jerked her head up, hiccupping and gasping in her attempt to reply (she failed, but at least she tried).  
  
Undyne smiled wider, the gesture a little sad. "Yeah," she went on, her voice softer now that Alphys was managing to quiet her sobs a little. "I want to go through the Underground, from the city to the Ruins. I want to talk to everyone. And most of all..."

Her smile twitched, then faded. "I... I want to say goodbye. I can't go back without saying goodbye."  
  
She felt Alphys dig her claws into her back, and she nodded against her chest, sniffling. She agreed with this, and wanted to come along.  
  
"I see," Asgore said. "That makes sense. While all of us have spent the month mourning, you have yet to even get an ounce of that closure." He touched her cheek. "You deserve that, Undyne. Of course it's a good idea."  
  
"And," Mettaton said, looking very sombre. "Along the way, should anyone want to join you, they can tell you when they see you."  
  
Alphys nodded again, looking up once more and trying to add to this, but all she got out was, "Good - _good!"_ before she choked up again and resumed hiding.  
  
"I think," Undyne murmured, "it needs to be a private journey, though."

Alphys squeaked, and Undyne smiled for a moment.

"One I would of course share with my wife, but still private."

Alphys relaxed.

Undyne looked up at Asgore, now a little worried. "Is... is that okay with you?"  
  
He smiled. "Of course it is. I understand the need to grieve, to say goodbye, and to mourn in private, dear."  
  
Undyne nodded; of course he did. He'd done it, already - three times, now.  
  
Mettaton looked thoughtful. "It makes sense," he agreed. "Asgore's right; you two really are the only ones not given the right to mourn. You've been so damned busy on the surface that it's like a luxury, and that's messed up."

He looked at Undyne and, to her surprise, looked ashamed. "I'm so sorry."  
  
Alphys's hand shot out and grabbed his arm, squeezing tight.

He jumped, then smiled and took her hand between his. He understood, even though she hadn't said a word. She didn't need to.  
  
"Can I suggest something, though?" Mettaton wondered, still holding Alphys's hand. "Don't start with the city. If you do, you'll never get a chance to leave. You'll be mobbed. Do the true Underground, then circle back and save the city for last."  
  
Undyne sighed. It was true. "Fuck, you're right," she grumbled. "Alright. We'll start at your stupid hotel, then."

She shot him a smirk when she said it, and he returned it - especially when Alphys sniffled out a small laugh.  
  
"Well," Asgore said. "Take all of the time you need to prepare, in that case. It shouldn't take you more than a day or two. You can stay here until you're ready, however long it takes."  
  
Alphys raised her head and looked up at him. "A-A-Asgore..." she managed to get out between hiccups. "Th-th-thank y-you."  
  
He smiled at her gently and nodded. "Of course."  
  
Undyne kissed Alphys's forehead gently, something that only brought another wave of tears on, and she hid again, making Undyne laugh softly.  
  
She completely understood.

* * *

"Oh, god, _I'm so sorry."_  
  
Undyne smiled and cupped Alphys's bright-red, tear-stained face into her hands and shook her head.

Alphys closed her eyes and smiled faintly, reaching up and touching Undyne's forearms gently.  
  
"Nerd," Undyne replied softly, "shut up, please."  
  
Alphys laughed, finally, and Undyne grinned, the sound making her heart race.

They were sitting on the bed in the purple room, and Alphys had spent the last hour sobbing and trying to stop sobbing at the same time. It was a losing battle, one Undyne held her through with such tenderness that she actually started crying again from that, too.  
  
When she could, she finally spoke, and that was all she could manage to say. Undyne's response was both funny and likely how she actually felt in response to that. So she shut up and just smiled up at her wife, still catching her breath a little and feeling both tired and shaky from it all - from the entire day, really.  
  
"Alphy," Undyne then said, leaning down and pressing her forehead to hers. Alphys swallowed hard, biting her lip hard and closing her eyes, but she nodded a little. "I love you."  
  
Alphys inhaled shakily, but when she exhaled, she couldn't smother her soft whimper, one she made to try and not cry again.

"I-I... I... I love you, Undyne," she whispered, holding onto Undyne's hands tighter. "You were perfect, today. You were... you were so amazing... I..." To Undyne's surprise, her expression fell. "I... d-don't... I'm not..."  
  
"No," Undyne snapped the moment she realised what she was going to say, pulling her closer. "Don't you dare say it. _I will throw you."_  
  
Alphys smiled a little, her eyes wavering. "S-sorry..." she whispered. "I'm just... s-so proud of you.. I feel almost like, today, y-you outshone m-me."  
  
Undyne glared at her, slipped her hands down to Alphys's shoulders, and pushed her down onto the bed, pinning her down so quickly that Alphys's eyes went wide and she made a sound between a cry and a cough. Her hands dropped to her sides, but her tail grabbed onto one of Undyne's legs hard.  
  
"U-uh," Alphys murmured. "H-hi?"  
  
_"No,"_ Undyne answered sharply. "Alphys, listen to me, because I'm not gonna say it again, at least not this calmly, okay?"

Alphys nodded and pressed her lips closed.

"Without you, today, I would have failed."  
  
Alphys narrowed her eyes, opened her mouth to protest...

Undyne went on. "No! Without you holding my hand, without you helping me talk, I would have probably fucked up and ran away or something stupid. I _know_ the moment I lost my words, if you hadn't said anything, I would have failed."  
  
Her voice softened suddenly. "So when you say shit like that, when you imply that I'm a one-woman show, that I can do this by myself, I get so fucking _angry,_ because it's bullshit."  
  
Alphys's eyes softened along with Undyne's voice, now, and she reached up and touched Undyne's face, trailing her thumbs over her cheeks. She kept quiet, though.  
  
"You're my wife, Alphy. You're my queen. You're my partner. But most of all, you're my best friend, and you're my..."

She went scarlet. "Uh. I... uh... I..."  
  
Alphys blinked at her, confused. Very softly, she said, "What? What's wrong?"  
  
"I... _fuck."_ She shut her eye for a moment, her heart aching.

She wanted to say it, but it was still too soon.

"I... n-need to tell you s-something," she stammered. "But I can't, yet. I'm not sure, yet, so I can't tell you, yet..."  
  
Alphys looked even more confused, but to her utmost relief, she merely nodded, still rubbing her cheeks gently.

"O-okay," she agreed. "When you can, when you're ready, Undyne, you can tell me anything, okay?"  
  
Undyne leaned down and pressed close against her, holding onto her tight, burying her face into Alphys's shoulder in both relief and deep affection.

"Alphy," she whispered. "You... you're also my... my soulmate."  
  
Alphys wrapped her arms around her waist and kissed the top of her head gently, inhaling again shakily. "You-you're going to m-make me cry, again..." she admitted.  
  
"It's true, though," Undyne whispered, finding herself tearing up, despite it all. "Literally and figuratively. You are, Alphy."  
  
Alphys struggled to keep calm, she really did, but since she was already so emotional and had cried so much, it was easy to set her off again.

She started crying again, nuzzling Undyne's cheek with her own until she could kiss her. Undyne kissed her immediately, her tears falling, now, too.

Between kisses, they both had to take shaky breaths, but that didn't stop them.  
  
Together, they were finally realising, they were unstoppable.


	32. Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. This chapter. It started out as a light-hearted silliness fluff and ended in something depressing that I didn't realise would happen but did. I debated for hours whether or not to massively edit this and take the questioning parts out. I really did. Then I realised: I wrote it in there with very little hesitation. Clearly, it needs to be in there. But of course this means that not only did I need to edit the tags, but add a trigger warning to this chapter. And the trigger warning is no joke. Please take it seriously. And yes. *sigh* It's taken yet again from real life (mine). I don't have any explanation save that perhaps I put too much of myself into characters that I love. I understand if I get hell for this. I understand if people stop reading after this. But... I really tried to edit it out, to fix it, to make it into something else - and it wouldn't take. So, here it is. If you leave, thanks for staying as long as you did. If you stay, thank you. That means a lot to me.
> 
> Trigger warning for:  
> Discussion of past sexual abuse (not rape)  
> Some detail into that abuse (not much, though)  
> Emotional impact it leaves on those involved in that abuse and how it affects those who love them, still

"Wait, shut up, there they are! _Alphys!"_  
  
"Oh my _god! Alphys!"_  
  
She'd barely made it clear of the elevator before she was suddenly grabbed, held onto, and squeezed so tight she lost her breath.

However, instead of panicking (Undyne certainly was close to it; she'd had a spear out before she realised it), she gasped out a relieved laugh. She tried to hug back, but her arms were pinned to her sides, and the two holding her clearly had no intention of letting go anytime soon, so she decided to accept her fate.  
  
It was a couple of days after the big speech, and the hotel was indeed their first stop, just as Undyne said. They took the hidden pathway through the palace and used the elevator to get there - and were immediately greeted by the two people they were going to look for in the first place.  
  
"Alphys! Holy hell, are we glad to _finally see you!"_ Bratty cried, her face buried in one of her shoulders.  
  
"We could barely, like, sleep! And I - _me, Alphys! - I_ didn't even want to eat that much!" Catty agreed, her face going to Alphys's other shoulder.  
  
Alphys managed to get out, "I-I'm fine," before they went on.  
  
"We _know_ you are!" Bratty agreed, her voice wavering.  
  
"We know that, _now!"_ Catty added.  
  
"But we _didn't_ know!  
  
"And the news hasn't been reliable!"  
  
"Well, except Mettaton's."  
  
"Mettaton's _always_ been that way, though!"  
  
"He's still so freaking _hot?!_ How does he manage it?!"  
  
"I bet that's because of you, Alphys!"  
  
"Uh," Undyne finally broke in, after she'd calmed down enough to let go of her spear and try to get the two younger monsters' attention. "Could you... please not suffocate my wife, please?"  
  
Both Bratty and Catty jumped, their eyes widening and going to Undyne, before they darted back and let Alphys go at once - but not before grabbing one of her hands, each.  
  
"Ah, sorry, Empress Undyne," Bratty said, looking it. "We just... we weren't sure..."  
  
"We needed to see her, you know, in person, for ourselves," Catty finished.  
  
"I'm s-sorry," Alphys said softly. "I should have contacted you both sooner."  
  
"No, Alphys, _duh,_ that's not what we meant!" Bratty answered, rolling her eyes. "We're not stupid; we know you're hella busy and have barely the time to sneeze or whatever!"  
  
"It's just different," Catty agreed, squeezing Alphys's hand between hers. "Seeing you in person, at last. We totally missed you."  
  
"I was worried about both of you," Alphys admitted. "I was afraid that... that you hadn't made it to safety on time..."  
  
"Nah, you're right, we blew off the rest of them," Catty agreed cheerfully, something that made Alphys pale. "We were gonna wait for you."  
  
"But then Empress Undyne totally killed the little shit," Bratty agreed, her eyes flashing for a moment, her smile fading briefly. "And we stayed, knowing we were finally, like, safe."  
  
Catty nodded. "Yeah. That was a little scary, though." She looked up at Undyne, who was speechless, trying very hard to follow their fast talk. "But you were, like, amazing."  
  
"You didn't quit at all," Bratty agreed, nodding.  
  
"You were a freaking hero."  
  
"You are, still!"  
  
"Totally!"  
  
Undyne turned to Alphys, looking beyond confused, now, and clearly needing help.

Alphys smiled at her. "They like you," she translated, and Undyne smiled faintly.  
  
"Alphys!" Catty cried, shaking her arm to get her attention back, something that made her laugh a little. "You're here! Does that mean you're ditching the surface?!"  
  
"Catty," Bratty sighed, one hand going to her forehead and rubbing slowly, though the other still held Alphys's. "We've talked about this."  
  
"I know, but shut up!" Catty replied, unfazed. "Well? Are you?"  
  
"N-no," Alphys admitted. "I'm... going back, soon. With Undyne. This is just a brief pause. For-for closure."  
  
Bratty blinked in surprise, though Catty's expression fell into something deeply sad.  
  
"Oh, shit," Bratty murmured, her free hand grabbing Alphys's shoulder and squeezing. "Right. You... haven't been, like, around for funerals."  
  
Alphys nodded, her head lowering. She felt Undyne move closer to her and place one hand on her other shoulder, squeezing gently. "H-how many did we l-lose?" she asked softly.  
  
"Not many," Catty said, though her voice was soft. "But it was still sucky. Snowdin won't ever be the same, really."  
  
"Yeah," Bratty agreed. "Snowmallard's, like, heartbroken. He has his wife back, kinda, yeah, but he lost his only kid. It's gotta be sour, that kind of thing."  
  
Alphys nodded, biting her lip. Undyne leaned down and kissed her cheek gently, not even thinking about it - she only thought about soothing Alphys's pain.

But the gesture had both Bratty and Catty staring at Alphys, then Undyne, then back at Alphys.  
  
_"Damn,"_ Catty murmured, finally letting go of Alphys's hand. "So, it's really, totally true, then."  
  
Bratty nodded, though she looked just as shocked. She, too, let go of Alphys's hand, and as if they'd agreed on it before, she took hold of Catty's now free hand, one already reaching for hers.  
  
"Wh-what is?" Alphys wondered, leaning back into Undyne a little, feeling better when she felt her wife slip her arms around her waist and hug her even closer. She smiled faintly and looked up at Undyne, who smiled back and gave her nose a kiss.  
  
_"That,"_ Bratty replied, startling them both. "You two."  
  
"I mean, we're not morons. We know you got hitched," Catty explained. "But we just thought it was to, I dunno, make it easier for the humans to understand you two or whatever."  
  
"You thought..." Undyne struggled to keep calm, but her voice was low with her irritation. "You thought I married Alphy for some kind of _front?!"_

Alphys lowered her head, her cheeks burning in shame; did _everyone_ think that?  
  
They in return stared at Undyne, blinking in unison.

Then, they both smiled and giggled, squeezing each other's hands tightly. They looked relieved.  
  
"Not anymore," Bratty replied happily.  
  
"I've never heard anyone call Alphys by a nickname, before," Catty added.  
  
"Plus, you won't stop touching her, and that's clearly because you dig her."  
  
"Wait, Mettaton called her something, but it wasn't that."  
  
"He calls me 'Alphysy'," Alphys muttered, still blushing.  
  
"Oh, yeah!" Catty laughed. "But he never said it the way the Empress just said 'Alphy'!"  
  
Bratty nodded at her. "Truly."  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Undyne snapped, losing her patience. "And why would you think I'd use Alphy that way - marrying her for show?!"  
  
Both Bratty and Catty looked ruffled by her tone.  
  
"Like, calm your esteemed tits, Empress?" Bratty said flatly, rolling her eyes. "We barely got a newsfeed down here, and the rest was all rumours spread from New Home. Cut us some slack?"  
  
"Really," Catty agreed, sniffing a little haughtily. "We're so used to our Alphys being used for _worse,_ what _else_ were we supposed to think?"  
  
"N-no," Alphys suddenly broke in, holding her hands up. "Sh-shut up!" She looked panicked.  
  
"I mean, we all knew she loved you, Empress," Bratty went on. "Except _you,_ obviously, despite how many times she pretty much blew it."  
  
"Yeah," Catty giggled. "And yet you were denser than wood, and twice as flat, too!"  
  
"But at least _you_ never used Alphys," Bratty said.  
  
"No, that's true."  
  
_"Shut up,"_ Alphys snapped again.  
  
Undyne listened to all of this in silence, her eye narrowed and her grip on Alphys's shoulders tight. She kept that silence, though, when the two girls went on.  
  
"When we were kids, even though Alphys was, like, a bigger kid than us, she'd always try and make sure we were safe and stuff," Catty said, looking at Undyne, now.  
  
"Yeah! And she'd always warn us about how people could be, telling us stories about how they were to her, personally, and how we could avoid what happened to her from happening to us!" Bratty agreed.  
  
"Like, once, she told us how a group of boys cornered her, and just started whaling on her."  
  
"Yeah, that was _messed up._ They kept calling her things like fat and ugly, and that's why they were beating her up."  
  
"She didn't have friends her age, right?"  
  
"So, like, anyone she tried to be friends with always used her."  
  
_"Shut up, please!"_ Alphys snapped louder.  
  
"They'd pretend to be her friend," Catty continued, shooting Alphys a look. "Only to, like, steal her trust and then spread her secrets to everyone and betray her and stuff."  
  
Bratty nodded, looking sad, again. "It was messed up. When we were old enough, we did what we could, but no one cared, and, well, Alphys told us to stay away, so we wouldn't..."  
  
"Have it happen to us, too," Catty finished. "Which was really noble and stuff, but I wish you hadn't, Alphys."  
  
"Please, _shut up about it,_ then!" Alphys begged.  
  
Undyne was still quiet, though her heart was racing painfully the more she heard.  
  
"And then, oh man, remember high school?" Bratty asked Catty, and she nodded.

Alphys hunched forward and covered her face, uttering a soft sound of protest, but they ignored her.  
  
"By then, me and you, we knew we were us," Catty agreed cheerfully, and Bratty nodded. "I mean, we still window-shopped, but never bought, right?"  
  
"Yeah!" Bratty agreed. "But Alphys, she wasn't so lucky," she said to Undyne, who nodded. "She had so much love and, like, wanted to share that love, but everyone made her feel like trash."  
  
Catty looked angry. "Which was such _bull!"_ she added. "But then there were those other jerks, the ones who led her on, who made her think they liked her - always _guys_ \- only to humiliate her when she believed them."  
  
"And they were such _dicks_ about it!" Bratty growled. "They'd lead her on, and then, when she'd respond, they'd publicly humiliate her, or abuse and _use_ her, and--,"  
  
It was only then that they realised Alphys was crying.  
  
"Shit," Bratty concluded, immediately leaning down and trying to hug her, but Alphys pushed her - and then Catty - away angrily, jerking away from them - even Undyne - and walking away, going down the hallway to where the elite hotel rooms were, not once looking back.  
  
Undyne was shaking, her hands still held up. She turned to the two, who were staring after Alphys's retreating back sadly.

"Is all of that... is the stuff you said, about what happened to Alphy... true?" she whispered, inwardly begging them to lie to her.  
  
"Sorry, Empress," Catty murmured.  
  
"But, yeah," Bratty agreed, putting an arm around Catty's shoulders. "It's true."  
  
"Why... why did you feel the need to tell me?" she asked them, her heart aching.  
  
"Well, like, you're her wife, now," Bratty said softly. "You should know her roots. Why she's sad all the time, and all mistrusty. She still gets sad, right?"

When Undyne nodded, Bratty did, too. "That's part of the reason why: those dicks in school."  
  
"And why we were scared you were just like them," Catty added. "But obviously, we _suck,_ and were totally wrong."  
  
"We're so sorry," Bratty agreed.  
  
Undyne held a hand up. "Just... stay here for a second, okay?" she asked.

Alphys wanted to ask them about going with them to the surface initially, but now Undyne wasn't so sure.

Just in case, though, she needed them in one place.  
  
While she cleaned up their mess.

* * *

It took her a while to find Alphys, only remembering that the hallway had a false wall that anyone could walk through, in order to find that bulletin board for the art class, after she'd paced the hallway over a dozen times. She found her wife leaning against that board, sniffling and trying to calm down.  
  
"Alphy," she greeted her softly, before she walked over and gently hugged her from behind. Alphys leaned away from the board and back into her, keeping her head down. Her hands, however, went up to her arms, and her tail went around one of her shins.  
  
"I didn't want you to know," Alphys whispered. "I know you knew I was used before, but I didn't want you to know the details..." She growled in pained frustration. "I wish I could punch them both."  
  
"In their own demented way, they do love you, Alphy," Undyne said gently, resting her chin atop Alphys's head.  
  
They were quiet for a moment, Alphys biting her lip and squeezing her eyes shut, waiting.

Undyne hesitated, then asked exactly what she was afraid of being asked.  
  
"Alphy... how... how bad did they... how far did they go? How... h-how..." Undyne's voice trailed off, a lump in her throat choking her words.  
  
She felt Alphys start to tremble against her.

"Undyne..." she whispered. "You-you d-don't... w-want to know..."  
  
Undyne swallowed, feeling a sinking in her gut. "Yes, I do," she answered honestly.  
  
Alphys dug her claws into her arms. "Th-they... one... one o-of them... tr-tried to..." Undyne suddenly held her tighter. "He tr-tried to... b-but... he didn't g-get far... he only... uh..."

She shut her eyes and shuddered. "Undyne..."  
  
"It's okay," she answered softly. "You don't have to go on if it hurts too much..."  
  
Alphys nodded, her breaths hoarse, her whole body shaking so hard that her teeth chattered a little. She then turned around and grabbed onto Undyne, burying her face into her shoulder. She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. She hadn't thought about that - about that time - in years, purposefully keeping it out of her thoughts.

Now, it came rushing back all at once, and with such clarity that it felt fresh. Undyne held her close, rubbing both the back of her neck and her back slowly, her cheek resting on the top of her head, again.  
  
Then, in a whisper, she told Undyne what that guy had managed to get her to do before she got away.

Undyne froze, her eye snapping open and her teeth clenching, and she felt a wave of hot anger and a thirst for revenge crash into her. She actually felt, for a moment, her magic rise up in her slowly, hovering around her in the air, unable to smother it; that was how enraged she was.  
  
Then, she felt Alphys reach up and touch her cheek, and she jumped, looking down at her. Her magic died immediately the moment their eyes met. Alphys gently brushed tears from her face, ones she hadn't even realised she shed, looking so sad that she felt her stomach lurch again, and she leaned down and gathered Alphys close, closing her eye and burying her face into her neck.  
  
"God, Alphy," she whispered. "God... Alphy..."  
  
"Please d-don't tell anyone," Alphys begged. "Pl-please... I... es-especially Mettaton. I-I don't want him to pity me, too..."  
  
"Alphy, I..." Undyne tried to protest, to say that she didn't, but she realised it would be a lie.

She _did_ pity Alphys. She had no idea what it was like to be abused that way, and felt that pity - and sympathetic pain - fill her entirely. She yearned to go back in time and protect Alphys, to beat up that horrible bastard, to just be her friend when they were younger...

But she couldn't. She could only do what she could here and now.  
  
"Alphy, okay," she whispered. "I won't tell anyone. Of course I won't. But, Alphy... it's... I don't _pity_ you... not exactly. I just..."

She choked up again, grabbing onto Alphys harder. "God, I just want to... I just fucking want to..."  
  
Alphys nodded. "It's okay... I've... I've wished I could, too. But... it's done. I survived it. It could have been worse. I was l-lucky, in a way..."

She paused. "B-but I n-never wanted you to kn-know..."  
  
"Alphy, I'm so glad you told me," Undyne answered, shocking her.  
  
"Wh-why?" Alphys whispered. "Aren't-aren't you... disgusted with m-me?"  
  
_"What?!"_ Undyne cried, pulling away and holding Alphys by her shoulders, staring down at her in absolute dismay. "Alphy! _No!_ Oh my god, Alphy, never! _Never! No!"_ She shook her head emphatically.  
  
Alphys stared up at her, bewildered, and she suddenly felt her tears well up in her.

Alphys then made a soft, tiny sound, one that cracked Undyne's heart, because in that moment, she realised that Alphys expected her to leave her the moment she found out.

Even _now,_ she'd expected it, and it hurt Undyne in several ways.

"Undyne..." she whispered.  
  
Undyne didn't let her say another word, but instead leaned down again and grabbed her close, pulling her almost off of her feet.

Alphys grabbed onto her and burst into tears, and Undyne couldn't help but do the same.


	33. Keep

When they came back, Catty and Bratty were still waiting for them.

Alphys sighed; part of her - the one that constantly craved avoidance - had hoped they'd give up and leave. Undyne, however, was glad they were there, still - especially when they greeted Alphys the way they did.  
  
"Alphys! _Thank god,_ okay," Bratty said, grabbing one of her hands again. She winced, looking away, but Bratty shook her arm, and she looked up again.

"You never even, like, let us say what we _wanted_ to say!" Catty accused, grabbing her other hand.

"W-well, I wonder why," Alphys snapped, glaring at them both, and for a moment, they stared at her, noticing that flash of yellow in her eyes, one that even Undyne wasn't used to, yet.  
  
"Right," Bratty agreed. "We're sorry. We are." Alphys snorted, but Bratty nodded. "We _are,_ Alphys."  
  
"We just..." Catty looked helpless for a moment. "We still, like, wanna protect you, okay? Like _you_ protected _us!"_  
  
"Only we forgot that we haven't really done a good job of that in a lot of years," Bratty agreed.  
  
"Yeah," Catty sighed. "Or, like, at all."  
  
"Well," Undyne broke in, standing up straight and crossing her arms over her chest. "You don't need to, really. That's what _I'm_ here for, after all."  
  
Alphys looked up at her in surprise, then blushed, smiling faintly. "I-I should probably l-learn how to protect _myself,"_ she said, looking embarrassed.  
  
"Okay," Bratty agreed. "But until you do, you should have some help."  
  
"We wanna go with you!" Catty suddenly blurted out.

Bratty shot her a scathing glare, one she blushed from, but despite it, she added, "It's true! We do!"  
  
"We were gonna _ask,"_ Bratty said dryly. "But, yeah. We totally want to go with you to the surface."  
  
Undyne grinned at them both, oddly pleased.

Of course she was still a little upset over the pain they'd inadvertently caused Alphys, but when it came down to it, they were still a good choice.  
  
"B-but," Alphys murmured, her hands pulling her hands away to tangle them up in front of her. "I-I mean, honestly, w-we came here t-to ask you to, b-but--,"  
  
"You _were?!"_ Catty cried.  
  
"I'm gonna _die!"_ Bratty agreed, lighting up.  
  
"You _could!"_ Alphys said, her voice high with sudden panic. "That's the problem! You-you _could_ die up there! It's... it's dangerous! I-I--,"  
  
"We know!" Bratty nodded, waving a hand at her. "We saw the speech, duh."  
  
"We still wanna go!" Catty insisted.  
  
"And no, not just because of Mettaton," Bratty added.  
  
"Though, don't lie, that does help!" Catty giggled.  
  
"Do you think he'd marry us both if given the option?"  
  
"I'd share, but only with _you,_ Bratty."  
  
"Uh," Undyne broke in. "I don't think he's really looking for... wives.. right now."  
  
"Whatever, we can change his mind," Bratty sniffed dismissively.  
  
"Exactly," Catty agreed.  
  
"But we can only do that on the surface!" Bratty concluded.  
  
"So we _have_ to go!" Catty nodded.  
  
Undyne considered, actually considered them seriously, for a moment.

Initially, Alphys had wanted to ask them not only as an excuse to check up on them, but as a way to ensure they'd be safe regardless of what they chose. When they had practically bragged that they had chosen danger over safety, it interested Undyne. The two looked like harmless, clueless fluffs, dumb girls who went crazy over a trend or a boy.

But now, knowing not only what she knew about their and her wife's shared past, but also about how their recklessness extended into the Underground, anyway, well...

They kind of reminded her of herself, really.  
  
Minus the make-up and Mettaton-chasing, of course.  
  
And it was clear that they weren't stupid, either. They'd known that Alphys had protected them in the past, and had even known that she likely would have in the present, too.

Even now, Alphys looked ready to protest, to tell them no, to reiterate the dangers. And Undyne knew they would listen to her, indulge in what she had to say - only to toss it aside and do what they wanted to do, anyway.  
  
She couldn't dismiss that. She couldn't dismiss _them._  
  
"Yeah," she said finally, grinning. "I think you do, too."  
  
All three of them looked up at her in shock - especially Alphys, who looked mortified. Catty and Bratty, however, looked thrilled.  
  
 _"Really?!"_ Catty cried.  
  
 _"Yesss!"_ Bratty exclaimed.  
  
"W-wait, _n-no,_ Undyne--!"  
  
"Yeah," Undyne repeated.

Alphys opened her mouth to protest again, but Undyne placed a finger to her lips gently.

"Listen, you wanted to ask them, right?"

When she nodded slowly, Undyne went on. "I think they're a good choice. Really. They're both brave, but also know the risks. I think they're both perfect."  
  
Catty blushed in delight, and Bratty grinned. "Like, Empress!" she cried. "I'm so sorry for telling you to calm your royal tits!"  
  
"Eh," Undyne shrugged. She was less bothered by that comment than she was about the stuff involving Alphys. "Just... be more discreet about Alphys, okay? She _is_ your Queen, now."  
  
Catty blushed deeper, nodding. "You're right; we totally forgot about that. S-sorry, Alphys."  
  
Alphys sighed. "Just... when I please tell you to shut up, please shut up, okay?"  
  
Catty nodded, but Bratty shrugged. "Maybe," she said, looking at her nails. "Depending on the situation."  
  
Alphys glared at her, and she smiled in return. "Chill out, Alphys. We get it. Okay?"  
  
"Fine." Alphys glared at Catty, too, then looked up at Undyne, who was still grinning. "I hope you know what you're doing."  
  
"I do," Undyne agreed. "Mostly."

* * *

"Well..." Alphys sighed.  
  
Undyne leaned down and grabbed her hand tight, smiling faintly. They were leaving the hotel and walking down towards Hotland proper, and though it wasn't warm yet, Alphys was sweating, and looked miserable.

"Well?" Undyne repeated.

"That was horrible."

Undyne stopped her gently, pulling her towards her and sighing. Alphys stumbled a little, but Undyne easily grabbed her other hand and kept her on her feet. Alphys still wouldn't look at her, though, which actually kind of hurt.

"Hey," Undyne said softly, reaching down and gently putting a hand under her chin, bringing her head up a little.

Alphys finally met her gaze, but she still looked unhappy.

"Listen, we came here to see if they wanted to join us. We were right. Yeah, we certainly got more than we came for, but, Alphy?"

"Yes?" Alphys said, her voice still low.

"I'm glad."

Alphys looked away again, her face paling a little. "Glad, huh? Glad that people I wanted to trust humiliated me in front of the one person I always want proud of me? Glad that you found out something gross about me, when I wanted to take it to dust? Glad that--,"

"Stop," Undyne broke in. _"Please,_ stop." She felt her stomach clench again; just thinking about what she'd been told made her feel so angry, still.

But not at Alphys.

Alphys pressed her lips closed but jerked her chin away. "C-can we just... c-can we j-just walk, please?"

"Wait," Undyne said softly. "Just wait until I've said what I need to, okay?"

Alphys sighed, but nodded.

Undyne knelt down in front of her, surprising her into jumping a little, and again took hold of her hands tight. "I'm not going anywhere, okay?"

Alphys looked away quickly, biting down hard on her bottom lip.

"Hey," Undyne murmured, leaning down and pulling Alphys's left hand to her lips, briefly kissing the back of it. "I'm not. And you're _not_ gross, Alphy. _Stop saying that._ I don't think you're gross at all, and you shouldn't, either, okay? What happened..."

Undyne winced, closing her eye for a moment and resting her forehead against Alphys's hand - something that Alphys responded to by trying to touch her cheek.

"What happened to you... was awful. It was _awful,_ and I'm so, so sorry you had to deal with it, and deal with it all alone, too."

"It... it's okay..." Alphys whispered, but Undyne wasn't done.

"It's _not_ okay, Alphy. It wasn't then, and it isn't now. I want to find that guy and..." Undyne gritted her teeth, squeezing her eye shut tighter and cutting herself off.

"I had to see him, you know. After."

Undyne's head shot up and looked up at her, and saw that Alphys's eyes were focused away, and looking blank.

"Every single day, at school. I had to see him every day. We had a class together. And he gloated, every time he looked at me." Her voice was flat, too.

"He never got in trouble for it. I o-once tried to tell the teacher. A few days after. I..." She smiled thinly, the gesture more sad that anything else Undyne had ever seen. "I just wanted him to stop looking at me. But..."

The smile vanished, and her eyes darkened. "They just told me that it happened, sometimes, and at least that was all that happened. When I asked to be transferred to another class, they said no. Said it would call attention to the guy, and he needed to graduate without issues..."

Undyne held her hand tight, shaking. She was crying, but she didn't notice.

"So... I put up with it. Every day that year. And a few years after." Alphys closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them, they flashed with yellow for a moment. "I haven't seen him since I left for college. Every time I go into New Home... I'm scared I'll see him. I'm scared I'll meet his eyes again. And he'll laugh at me again. Just like before..."

Undyne reached up and hugged her tight around her waist, burying her face into her chest and whimpering a little, her nails digging into her back. She could feel Alphys shaking, too, heard her raspy breaths, and Undyne sobbed, once, her eye closed tight. She felt Alphys lean down and hug onto her hard, felt her bury her face into her shoulder, and soon heard her start to cry, again.

"I'm tr-trying to be strong, Undyne," she whispered. "All-all I want is to be st-strong, for y-you... for us..."

"You _are,"_ Undyne agreed. "You're _so_ strong, Alphy. You are. I could... I could never, _ever_ do that. Ever. I can't believe you did that... oh, god..."

"B-but..." Alphys then said, her voice soft. "If you... need to leave me... b-because of it..."

Undyne hugged onto her tighter, squeezing any more words from her loose with a cough of surprise.

 _"No!"_ Undyne cried. "No, _never!_ Stop, Alphy, _stop it!_ Just..."

She paused, trying to collect her thoughts. "Just stay here, right here with me for a second, okay? Just hold me... _please..."_

Alphys nodded, reaching down and stroking her hair slowly, and Undyne bit her lip.

But neither let go of the other - not for a very, very long time.

* * *

When they were calmer, they started walking again, this time arm-in-arm and with Alphys resting her head on Undyne's shoulder. They walked in silence for a while, both tired and fine with being quiet for a while - especially Alphys, who felt as though if she said anything else, she would just cause Undyne more pain. Undyne, sadly, was thinking the same thing.

Then, when they stopped in front of one of the puzzles, Alphys raised her head and said, "I know a shortcut past these puzzles, so we don't have to do them."

Undyne looked relieved, and Alphys smiled faintly and led her away and towards one of the seemingly tall rock ledges, looking incredibly innocuous. She pressed her hand against it, having to stand on her toes to reach, and the moment she reached out with her magic, it responded and began to glow in the shape of her hand.

Then, instantly, a door opened in front of them, and she smiled. She pulled Undyne with her through it, and it closed behind them immediately.

Alphys smiled the moment the lights turned on and displayed a long metallic hallway. Undyne blinked in surprise, this time the one to grab onto Alphys's arm and hold on.

"It's okay," Alphys said softly. "I know the way. This is one of many tunnels to the True Lab. I used them all the time."

Undyne nodded but still held on, even as they started to walk. Over the past month, Alphys had been open and honest with her about the things that had gone on in the True Lab, and she'd eventually come to terms with it all, especially once she learned that Asgore had stepped in once he'd found out and done his best to reunite the amalgamates with their surviving families.

But as the walked further and further into the bowels of beneath and along Hotland, she found herself becoming almost intimidated by how intricate everything was - and how foolish she was for missing it all of this time.

But then again, she never really made it her habit to explore Hotland like she had Snowdin and Waterfall. She hated Hotland, hated how hot it was and how the very air seemed design to rob her of both breath and moisture, and would only send her Guards to patrol it. The only time she ever bothered with it was after she'd met Alphys, and she'd make excuses to "check up" on those Guards - and then maybe detour to the Lab to see how Alphys was doing, too.

She smiled faintly, leaning against Alphys a little at that thought, who smiled up at her for a moment.

When they finally reached what looked like an elevator, Alphys activated it and led Undyne into it, then pressed one of the buttons and leaned back with a sigh. Undyne still held onto her hand, deciding she liked it.

"We can cut through the Lab and keep going to Waterfall if you'd like," Alphys then said softly.

Undyne blinked a little, a thought coming to her, and she grinned. "I have a better idea," she replied.


	34. Familiar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has fanart!! Only it does contain spoilers, so check it out once you're done reading this chapter! It's by the always-awesome AerisHikari!!
> 
> Link: http://aerishikari.tumblr.com/post/157795907382/fanart-below-warning-spoiler
> 
> GO TELL HER HOW AWESOME SHE IS.

For the first time in hours, Alphys was finally laughing. Undyne hadn't realised just how much she'd missed that sound until she'd been deprived of it for so long, and now that she was hearing it, again, she felt so much better.

They were both lying down in the fake lab, on Alphys's box-bed, and were watching one of the many DVDs that Alphys had on a laptop, which was placed between them. Undyne had her arm around Alphys, and she was nestled nicely into her side, their free hands tangled in front of them as they watched one of their favourite shows.

Undyne had said, very softly, "Wow. I'm kind of dumb, huh? I can't believe I thought these were real."

And Alphys had laughed, so softly but so genuinely, that the fact that she wasn't exactly joking didn't matter. What mattered was that Alphys had finally laughed, after so long without doing so, and the sound was so soothing to Undyne that she grinned and pulled her closer - which, to her delight, only made her laugh even more.

When she'd calmed down, Alphys stopped, pausing the show. "It-it's understandable," she said, looking up at Undyne earnestly, still smiling. "Not only did I keep lying to you about it, but the shows themselves are so nicely animated and beautiful that it's easy to get lost in them."

"I really did think they were just animated documentaries, though," Undyne admitted, blushing a little.

"For a while, I did, too," Alphys confessed, smiling faintly.

When Undyne made a face, Alphys nodded.

"I did!" she insisted. "It was... well, it took me a while, but I eventually learned that they weren't. This was long after I'd watched Mew Mew so many times I had all of the scenarios memorised. My heart hurt for an entire week..."

She paused. "Okay, month."

Undyne nodded and kissed the top of her head, making her smile wider.

"But for you, I suppose it's not that big a deal," Alphys continued. "I mean, you found out shortly before you met _real_ humans. Seeing the real deal must have made that reality easier for you to deal with."

Alphys scratched her cheek shyly. "I kind of hoped for far longer than I care to admit that there was still a chance they were real."

"I guess that's true when it comes to humans in general, huh?" Undyne agreed, chewing her lip thoughtfully. "There's a lot they left out, but there's also a lot they left _in."_

Alphys was quiet, then, though she rested her head back on Undyne's shoulder and closed her eyes, grabbing onto her hand again tight.

They both already knew what she meant.

Undyne pulled her closer, then pressed play again, and they both got lost in both the animation, the familiarity, and the comfort of each other's company.

* * *

Alphys hadn't realised she'd dozed off until she woke up to the sound of Undyne's voice. She started, looking up in surprise and confusion, and Undyne smiled gently at her.

"Wh-what?" she stammered.

"Wanna sleep here tonight? We can stop at Waterfall tomorrow," Undyne repeated, her voice gentle.

"O-oh," Alphys answered, looking a little more awake, now.

She thought about it for a moment; she was exhausted, and found an odd sense of security in being at the lab again - her home, really. Despite how long she'd been on the surface, the Underground still felt a lot like home, and coming back to it made her remember that. She'd been happy here - well, as happy as she could be - and it while it was almost undone in a single day, there will still places left untouched.

Alphys cherished those places, deep in her soul, and wanted to remember them as such for when she left the Underground for good.

"I..." Alphys said aloud. "I'd l-like to stay here for the night, if that's alright."

Undyne grinned. "Of course it is! That's why I mentioned it, you nerd."

Alphys smiled in relief, and Undyne kissed the tip of her nose, making her giggle (exactly what she wanted, really).

For a brief span of time, it was almost like it had been before the human fell; they helped each other clean up the mess of wrappers and empty bottles from their snacks, shut down and put away the laptop and the DVDs they'd been watching, and spent a few more minutes making the bed in order for it to be comfortable for two people instead of the usual one.

There was a bit of shyness on Alphys's part, especially when she had to move a few items she hadn't ever wanted Undyne to see (things that Undyne merely shrugged upon seeing), but for the most part, it was pretty natural.

The moment the room was clean and they were both in pyjamas (Undyne was wearing a spare set of Alphys's, and it was too big on her, but Alphys found it too cute, and said nothing), Undyne grabbed Alphys around her waist with a laugh and tumbled onto the bed with her, bringing for the kind of uncontrollable giggles that Alphys hated making but ended up succumbing to, anyway. The sound made Undyne laugh even harder in delight, and for a moment, that was all the room was filled with.

It was... nice. It was like old times.

Only it was even better, because of their new intimacy, one that was becoming less new, and more natural, as time progressed.

When they'd both managed to catch their breaths and calm down, Undyne pulled Alphys closer and buried her face into her shoulder, closing her eye. Alphys squirmed a little, feeling slightly ticklish, but not enough to move away, and certainly not enough to not enjoy the feeling.

"Hey, Alphy?" she whispered.

"Yes?"

"D'you think, someday, if you wanted, if you knew we could, you and I..." Undyne swallowed hard, her heart racing. She suddenly felt very, very afraid, and her grip on Alphys tightened even more. "Uh..."

Alphys was quiet, waiting for her to go on, but when she didn't, she said, "Go ahead. You can tell me anything, Undyne."

It was the truth, after all.

Undyne knew it. She knew it intellectually, anyway. But it was a completely different thing to put that trust to test, to put that phrase into action.

Especially since, by now, she was certain.

She tried to get it out, tried to just _tell_ Alphys, but the words stuck in her throat, and all that she got out was, "Family."

Alphys blinked, a little confused. "We're family," she agreed, smiling. She closed her eyes, reaching up to stroke Undyne's hair slowly. "We've been family since we got married. Before then, really. And with Asgore, I feel like... I feel like... like we're a real family already..."

She paused. "Is-is that stupid?"

Undyne shook her head, something that tickled Alphys again, as her face was still buried in the crook of her neck. "No," she whispered. "It's not at all. It's wonderful."

"That's what you were asking, right?" Alphys wondered, snuggling closer, suddenly craving both Undyne's scent and her warmth.

"N-no," Undyne whispered.

She pulled her face away, something that caught Alphys's attention, and she, too, pulled her head away, looking right into Undyne's eye. There was a light in it, something glowing amidst the bright green that she hadn't really noticed before. She wondered if it had always been there, or if it was something new.

Alphys swallowed hard, her mouth going dry suddenly. Just looking at Undyne made her realise how lucky she was at times, how amazing things were despite how so many things had fallen apart. She bit her lip, reaching up and placing a shaky hand on Undyne's cheek, and to her delight, Undyne smiled and reached up to hold it in place.

"Go ahead," Alphys then said.

Undyne's smile twitched for a moment, her eye sparking a little with what was almost like... panic.

Alphys blinked up at her, surprised. What was she afraid of? What was wrong?

"What I meant, Alphy," Undyne said softly, her voice cracking a little. "Is, uh... would you want to... some day... with me..." She closed her eye. _"Start_ a family with me?"

Alphys stared at her, her heart practically stopping within her breast.

She felt her eyes sting, and she blinked hard, trying not to cry. Her hand tightened on Undyne's cheek, her other hand reaching up to cup around the other, and she was nodding before she even said a word, before she could even _say_ a word. She squeaked, trying to say _anything,_ but failing miserably.

Undyne opened her eye at that squeak, shocked to see Alphys still nodding, practically beaming at her, her eyes full of tears.

Undyne's heart ached suddenly, wondering why she was so afraid to ask at all, especially upon seeing that look, and she grinned, grabbing Alphys into a tight hug and laughing.

 _"Fuck yeah!"_ she cried, and Alphys burst into both laughter and tears, clinging onto her tight.

They kissed, getting lost in each other for a moment, both in celebration as well as just general feeling.

But then, Alphys pulled away, finally able to find words.

"Undyne," she said, her voice hoarse. She reached up and brushed her tears away, then did the same for Undyne, who hadn't even realised she'd been crying. "We-we should wait."

Undyne's smile faded. "What?" she whispered, dread lancing into her so hard she paled.

"I m-mean... things right now are so unsteady..." Alphys said, seeing the change in her wife and suddenly becoming afraid. "Please... I just mean... when things are m-more stable, when we're able to properly take care of a child... th-that's when we should start to t-try..."

Undyne swallowed, any words she wanted to say dying immediately. Her eye filled again, but for a completely different reason, now, a change that Alphys noticed and was sorry for.

"U-Undyne," Alphys murmured.

Undyne looked away, then turned away, moving so that her back was to Alphys. She hugged her middle tight, trying to clamp down her tears, but it wasn't working. If anything, the harder she tried, the worse it became.

"Undyne?" Alphys whispered, her voice so soft and so pained that it hurt Undyne to hear.

 _It's not her fault,_ she thought, gritting her teeth. _It's not her fault... it's not her fault..._

And that was true: it wasn't Alphys's fault, not at all. She couldn't be blamed for something she said, something said in utter ignorance, when she was in the dark, a dark that Undyne had kept her in for days, now, when she should have told her the second she knew, the second she even _thought_ she knew...

"Undyne? Please?"

Alphys's voice broke, something that Alphys, herself, couldn't help. She was kneeling, now, her hands on her knees, watching Undyne closely, hoping for some kind of reaction or reply.

But all she could see was her shaking back, and she didn't understand why. She didn't understand what she'd done wrong.

She wanted to understand, and she needed Undyne to _tell_ her what she'd done wrong.

She started shaking, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. She was suddenly very afraid, though she didn't quite know why. She had no idea what she'd done wrong, and thus had no idea how to rectify it.

And it felt as if she were about to lose Undyne over this oversight, and it frightened her.

Gingerly, she leaned forward and touched Undyne's back with a trembling hand. Undyne jumped, but didn't pull away. She just lay there, her eye wide open, struggling not to make a sound as she cried.

"Undyne, please, tell me. Tell me what I... what I've done... please?"

Then, to Undyne's horror, she heard Alphys whisper, "Is it... is it because of what I t-told you?"

Undyne pushed herself up immediately in a rush, one so fast it was like a blur, and Alphys jumped back, startled. Undyne grabbed her by the shoulders and held her in place.

 _"No!"_ she cried, her eye blazing. "Don't you _ever_ _think_ that! Don't you even _think_ _about thinking_ _that,_ Alphy!"

Alphys then found herself smiling, just a bit.

 _This_ was the Undyne she knew, and this reaction was one that comforted her - as well as reassured her.

When Undyne saw that, she bit her lip, then lowered her head, hanging it between them so that her hair hid her face.

"Alphy..." she murmured, and Alphys blinked. "Do you... do you remember that night... when we drank too much?"

She didn't see it, but Alphys went completely scarlet, blushing from head to toe. "E-er," she said helpfully. "Y-yes. V-very much."

Undyne sighed, then let go of one of her shoulders to grab her hand. She blinked, but Undyne didn't look up, instead leading her hand towards her - before bringing it under her shirt and lying it flat against her middle.

"Use your magic, Alphy," she muttered, not bothering to look up.

Confused, still - but now with a pounding heart, something inside of her already telling her the answer - she did, reaching out gently to touch Undyne's skin, then move beneath it, not quite sure what she was supposed to be looking for.

Until she felt it.

She gasped, her other hand going to her mouth to try and stifle it, but it was too late.

Beneath her hand she felt a second, pulsing lifeform within Undyne.

She was pregnant.


	35. New

"Oh my god," Alphys whispered, her hand staying on Undyne's belly, her eyes closing. "Oh my god, oh my god..."

"Yeah," Undyne agreed hollowly. "When... I think, anyway... when our souls touched... do you remember? That feeling?"

Alphys nodded, her hand still over her mouth. She remembered. She remembered like it was only a few minutes ago: that strong connection, that sudden jarring in her soul, feeling something come loose... and feeling Undyne gain what had come loose...

"Oh my god," she repeated.

"Look," Undyne went on. "It's... only been a few days. We didn't know what we were doing... we hadn't even had a talk about having a family yet..."

Alphys opened her eyes, feeling the blood leave her face. Undyne wasn't looking at her, and her hand that still held hers started to tremble.

"I should have told you the moment I knew, but there just never seemed like a good time..." Undyne went on, her face crumpled into an expression of deep pain. "I put it off, even though it affects us both. So... so if it's too much... if it's too soon... it's still really early. I can... I can easily--,"

_"No."_

Undyne's head jerked up in shock, her eye wide - but hopeful. Alphys stared directly into it, her own expression suddenly hard, her eyes glinting.

"No, Undyne," she repeated, her voice almost as hard as her expression. "No, I _don't_ want you to extinguish it."

"But... you said..." Undyne searched her eyes, looking both confused and hopeful, still. Her grip on Alphys's hand tightened, and Alphys flipped her hand over so that their fingers entwined.

"I know what I said," Alphys answered. But she shook her head. "But that was before. I..." She swallowed hard, her face reddening. "That night... it was so amazing... I don't want to forget it. I want to remember it forever. I m-mean, I didn't know that this would happen, at all... But... If... if something came from it, something so wonderful, I don't want to throw it away, either..." She bit her lip for a moment. "D-does that make any sense?"

Undyne nodded. "So..." she murmured, still nervous. "You... you're okay with...? You want to...? Still?"

"It's sooner than I ever imagined," Alphys admitted, reaching up and rubbing the bridge of her nose, pushing up her glasses in order to do so.

Then, she smiled. "But that doesn't matter, if you think about it. That's kind of our way, isn't it?" She blinked. "W-wait... the other day... was this what you were trying to tell me?"

"Yeah," Undyne admitted. "I was pretty sure then, but now I'm positive."

"Yes," Alphys agreed. "As am I."

She smiled wider, and Undyne raised her head, feeling herself smile, too. Alphys reached up and touched her cheek, her eyes suddenly filling with tears.

"Oh my _god,_ Undyne..." she murmured, her other hand clutching Undyne's tight. "I... I-I..."

"Are you... happy?" Undyne wondered, shifting closer to her, so that their knees touched.

Alphys nodded. "I... I'm kind of in shock," she replied. "I... I keep telling myself it's not really real, that we fell asleep watching anime and I'm dreaming..."

Undyne reached up and pinched her nose, and she jumped and made a surprised sound, both hands going to it. Alphys paused, before bursting into laughter, the sound mingling with her tears.

Undyne lunged for her, then, tackling her onto the bed and covering her face with so many kisses that she lost count.

They both did.

* * *

That night, they slept heavy, Alphys especially, who was both emotionally worn out as well as almost relieved to be back in her own bed after over a month of absence. Undyne held her close, even in sleep, not once willing to let her go.

It was weird being in the Underground, again, really. Even though it was only over a month, truly it felt so much longer - especially now.

But again, Alphys's dreams were her enemy, and she was caught in a nightmare that she couldn't escape.

_Again, she was in front of the monitors, watching with an aching heart as Undyne fought the human._

_Again, she grabbed her phone and tried to call for help, only for it to fail. She threw it again, leaping to her feet and rushing out of the Lab and towards Waterfall, her heart in her throat._

_She couldn't let them kill Undyne. She couldn't let them kill her._

_This time, she could actually run; her legs worked, though her voice did not. She ran as fast as she could, past the water cooler and down the pathway along the sign, its letters stopped midway as though to remind her of the fact that nothing was typical of this situation._

_By the time her feet touched Waterfall, she could feel her strength flagging, and she was starting to slow down. She had never been an athlete like Undyne, never thought it mattered - only to discover it mattered when she couldn't have it - and needed it the most, too._

_Alphys caught glimpse of a flash of blue, and she stopped for a moment, trying to catch her breath. She looked up, and there they were - only Undyne wasn't fighting the human._

_She was fighting_ Flowey.

 _Alphys tried to say something, but nothing came out. She gritted her teeth and lunged forward - only to find her ankles pinned to the ground by vines. She stumbled, using her tail to right herself, but her eyes were still ahead, still on Undyne, who was fighting with everything she had against Flowey - who was clearly fighting with everything_ he _had, as well._

_Frantically, Alphys scratched and clawed at the vines keeping her prisoner, only able to make small, pathetic sounds instead of words, like she wanted._

_The moment she got one ankle free, Flowey laughed - a sound that send every single cell in her body into panic - and threw his power forward and at Undyne. Dozens of vines, razor-sharp, rushed from behind him and towards her, and with both spear and raw magic, she tried to cut them down--_

_\--but failed to notice the ones behind her._

_And that's when Alphys finally found her voice - at the sight of her wife, her only reason for living left, the one person who never stopped believing in her, impaled by those vines - and she screamed out._

_Their eyes met, just for a moment, Undyne mouthed something to her._

Alphy... I love you...

_Then she vanished into dust, as though she'd never existed in the first place._

_And then Flowey laughed again, louder and happier, finally turning towards Alphys - who was sobbing, unable to form any words, now._

_The moment those vines flew towards her--_

\--she woke up.

It was with a start, and a gasp that wrenched her awake, her eyes snapping open and shining bright yellow, just for a moment, before she sat up and cowered, shivering. She fought to catch her breath, but could only breathe in gasps.

Undyne was sitting up beside her in mere seconds, her hands on her shaking shoulders immediately.

Alphys closed her eyes, hot tears streaking down her cheeks, and she covered her face, sobbing.

"Hey," Undyne whispered, before pulling her closer and up against her.

Alphys grabbed onto her, burying her face into her shoulder, her arms going around her waist tight.

Undyne held her, rubbing her back slowly. "It's okay, Alphy. It's okay. I'm right here."

Alphys nodded slowly, but her eyes were wide open. She couldn't stop shivering, couldn't stop her tears - nor could she shake the feeling that what she'd just seen was something she needed to pay attention to.

* * *

Once she'd managed to calm down, they fell back asleep, but it took longer than either had expected. Even once she managed it, Alphys refused to let go of Undyne, and eventually Undyne gave up and nodded off still being held by her; usually it was the opposite that happened.

When they woke up, it was to a text alert on Undyne's phone, startling them both out of their sleep with a jump and confusion. Undyne growled and lunged for it, about to toss it into the wall, but then she paused - and grinned.

"Hey," Undyne said, sounding cheerful. "I just got a text message from Tim!"

Alphys blinked, rubbing her eyes for a moment, before she was able to process anything that was being said. "W-who?"

"Timo--oh, right, you only know him as RG 01," Undyne explained, lying back down beside her and holding the phone up so that she could see it.

_"Yo, Captain, I heard you were in Hotland? Is that true? I'd love to see you! I need work!"_

Alphys blinked at the phone, bemused - especially by the last sentence. "He... needs _work?"_

Undyne laughed. "Timothy's one of the best Guards I've ever trained. Why else would I place him here in Hotland wi--?"

She stopped, going bright red, then laughed again, the sound nervous. "Well, fuck," she concluded.

Alphys stared up at her, unable to keep a smile from her face. "You trusted him to guard me," she concluded, and Undyne leaned into her shoulder and made a small, shy sound, shrugging. "Undyne..."

"Shut up," she answered, reaching up and covering Alphys's mouth.

Alphys laughed, the sound muffled, but Undyne sat up with a huff and went on. _"Anyway!_ I'd like to see him, and his partner-in-arms, so that I can ask them to come to the surface, too!"

Alphys nodded, reaching up and pushing Undyne's hand away gently. "That sounds like a good idea," she agreed.

"Sweet. Oh," Undyne paused. "Uh. The thing." She blushed, and Alphys did, too, though she felt a flutter in her stomach. "The... uh..."

Alphys smiled wider. "You being pregnant," she finished.

Undyne nodded shyly, though she smiled, too. "Yeah. Uh, let's just... keep that to ourselves for now, okay? Until we're totally sure that I won't fuck it all up and lose it or whatever."

Alphys nodded again. "Yes," she agreed. "That's fine."

"Oh, but," Undyne scratched her cheek. "Asgore knows."

Alphys blinked. "He does?"

"Yeah," Undyne sighed. "He knew, like, right away, too. He told me so before I made that speech."

Alphys looked embarrassed. "Wow."

She felt like an idiot, really; she'd missed every hint and every sign, and yet Asgore had picked them all up and knew them right away for what they were. Neither of them had looked for it, and yet Asgore was astute enough to figure it out, first.

"Hey, don't take it personally," Undyne said, noticing her expression. "Remember? He and Toriel had a kid, once. He probably recognised something I was doing without knowing it and made the conclusion."

Alphys bit her lip. She did indeed know that the Dreemurrs had had a child.

She shivered suddenly, her mind reminding her all at once of her dream, and she curled up, pulling her blanket over her again tight to warm herself - though she wasn't cold.

Undyne noticed, and she tossed her phone aside and curled up next to her, looking right into her eyes. Alphys smiled faintly; she always felt happy whenever their eyes met, and she was able to see Undyne's feelings within that gleaming green.

But then, she suddenly remembered what she'd seen in her dream - what that eye had looked like seconds before death - and she closed her eyes, her smile fading.

"Undyne, listen," she said softly. "I-I need to tell you something important, something I left out about my research."

Undyne blinked at what she thought to be a sudden change in subject. "Uh," she said. "Sure, Alphy. Right now, though?"

"Well." Alphys opened her eyes again. "We have to go to the True Lab to shower, anyway, right? So... when we do... I'll tell you everything, Undyne. I'll _show_ you everything."

Undyne searched her eyes, noticing how dark they looked. "I'm not gonna like any of this, am I?"

"N-no," Alphys agreed softly. "Not one bit."

* * *

Undyne hated the True Lab. She hated it the moment the elevator doors opened and gave her her first sight of it, and she hated it more and more the deeper they went into it.

It wasn't just because of the fact that it was a side of Alphys she had never known and had been kept from her for so long - though that certainly stung, especially when she saw how elaborate it was - but more along the lines of how _desolate_ the entire place seemed.

The whole place reeked of _misery._

"God," she whispered, holding onto Alphys's hand tight as they walked. Occasionally, a monitor on the wall would come to life and reveal paragraphs of text, but they didn't stop to read them. "This place _sucks."_

"You get used to it," Alphys replied flatly.

"No, thanks," Undyne answered.

Alphys smiled thinly. "At least I wasn't alone, you know? I m-mean... I _felt_ alone, sometimes. Hiding as much as I did - and hiding the people who didn't deserve to be hidden. But those same people were... kind of my friends. I mean... okay," she sighed. "Some of them hated me. A lot. But others... others were really nice."

Undyne was quiet for a moment, hoping she'd continue. When she didn't, she said, "Like who?"

"Endogeny," Alphys said immediately. "And Snowhen. They were the nicest to me."

"Snowhen..." Undyne whispered.

She remembered Snowdrake running around Snowdin, cracking lamer puns than sans and whining if you didn't laugh. He was always eating nothing but candy, because both of his parents were either working (his father), or had fallen down (his mother). She'd always tried her best to get him to at least eat something healthy when she saw him, but he'd always sniff at her and pun-attack instead.

Now, he was dust. And he'd never even known his mother was still alive.

Alphys's face fell, clearly having the same thoughts. "N-now you probably understand it a bit better, why I was at the abyss th-that day."

Undyne looked at her, biting her lip, before she pulled her hand away to put her arm around Alphys's shoulders, pulling her closer. Alphys smiled briefly, but it was only a flicker, and it faded as soon as they stopped in front of a room - clearly their destination.

"Okay," Alphys said, her voice wavering. "I'm just... going to show you the tapes. When you have questions, I'll answer anything you ask me, okay? I promise. No more lying."

"Tapes?" Undyne repeated, and Alphys nodded, opening the door and revealing what looked like a little TV den.

Silently, she led her wife into it, and shut the door behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me someone gets the joke about my naming RG 01 Timothy, PLEASE...


	36. History

Alphys waited. She kept her eyes on the now-silent TV screen, too afraid to look at Undyne the entire time she'd explained what she'd done.

When they'd watched the tapes, she'd watched Undyne, watched as her eye grew wider and wider in shock.

The moment that eye turned to Alphys, she looked back at the TV, and confessed what she'd done with the information found on those tapes.

She couldn't look at Undyne. She was too scared. She'd done a horrible thing, all because she'd wanted to please Asgore, all because she wanted to selfishly look good to him. She'd done so much already that was so selfish, and this, by far, was her biggest crime.

Especially when she'd admitted that she was certain that Flowey had had contact with the human, and had helped them on their murderous rampage.

In a way - in many ways - those deaths were on her. The blood and dust of many innocents would forever stain her hands - and all because she'd wanted to gain Asgore's affection.

"So _that's_ what he meant."

Alphys blinked, looking over at Undyne without thinking.

Undyne was chewing on her lip, looking both horrified and thoughtful. Alphys tried to ask her what she meant, but her throat was still too dry from fear to speak.

Undyne noticed and elaborated. "Papyrus. I remember, once, how he came over to my place, and told me how he'd met a talking flower. I just thought he'd gotten confused and meant an echo flower."

She sighed. "It wasn't that at all, but this Flowey thing. Now, it makes sense."

Alphys swallowed, trying desperately to speak. "Undyne," she whispered. "L-look, I... I'm... I'm so sorry..."

Undyne blinked, focusing on her and looking bemused. "Huh?"

"I... I'm responsible for... everything bad that happened. I'm..." She looked down at the floor. _"I'm responsible for everyone who died."_

Undyne stared at her.

In a way, there was no use denying that she'd had a hand in the events that had almost destroyed their world. By giving Flowey life - one that lacked a soul - she'd started the chain of events that had led to their current situation.

 _But,_ Undyne thought. _Only_ distantly.

_You really have to stretch it all to make it all Alphy's fault._

_When it ultimately comes down to it, the human had made their choice, and had stuck with it. They could've easily said no, told Flowey to fuck off._

_But they didn't._

"Hey," Undyne said, reaching out and taking hold of Alphys's chin gently, raising her head.

Alphys looked up briefly, then lowered her eyes again, looking scared.

"Alphy. Don't."

"It's my fault," she answered, her voice wavering. "It's all my fault. _Everything._ Everyone dying. It's all on me..."

"Really?" Undyne snapped, her grip tightening a little. "Hey."

Alphys finally met her gaze, so she went on.

 _"You_ told the human to kill us all? _You_ told the human to show no mercy?"

"No, but I brought Flowey to life, and in turn did something horrible - to the Underground, but especially to Asgore. If he finds out... If he finds out..." She didn't have to finish; they both knew. It would break his heart.

"Then... we don't tell him, Alphy," Undyne said gently, reaching up with her other hand and touching her cheek lightly. "We can keep this to ourselves, okay? Asgore... I don't want to hurt him, either."

"I've thought about killing Flowey," Alphys blurted out, disarmed by the support she never expected to have. "I've even tried to lure him back, so that I could. B-but... it never worked, or... if I did see him, I was too... cowardly."

"That's probably a good thing," Undyne admitted gently. "Killing... it's not good. At all. It's... it _hurts,_ Alphy." Her lips twitched for a moment. "It _really_ hurts, even when you know it's justified."

Alphys leaned close, aiming to hug her - something Undyne immediately fell into and returned.

Alphys was shaking. "B-but... what if he... does something bad? Wh-what if he goes to the surface, starts hurting people?"

Undyne paused, thinking about it.

"Well," she said after a moment, pulling away but keeping her hands on Alphys's shoulders. "Then we start to consider our options. But if he hasn't done anything by now, why would he do anything later? Doesn't make sense to me."

"I... I know," Alphys agreed. "I think you're right. B-but... what if he does?"

Undyne frowned, leaning back more and letting her hands drop into her lap. "Okay, let's go down that road. For whatever reason, he decides he wants to fuck around. He wants to try to play with more humans or whatever."

She thought about it, more. "Well, both you and I have power, Alphy," she concluded. "Power that has got to be way stronger than anything he's got. We can take him."

"But... _do_ we kill him?" Alphys wondered, her voice tiny.

Undyne winced. "That's the rub," she agreed. "I dunno. I think... if it means saving our people, if he's been hurting people, then we have to do _something_ that would make him stop for good. But..."

She put her chin in her hand. "I'm reluctant to kill anyone again. Even soulless little bastard flowers."

"M-me, too," Alphys admitted softly.

But then, she remembered that rage she'd felt, in both of those vivid dreams, the sense of injustice, of needing to right a grievous wrong, and to go to any means necessary to do so...

It was so real.

And she still felt echoes of it within her blood.

It scared her.

"Alphy, are you okay?" Undyne wondered.

Alphys had gone pale, her eyes lowering again and sparking a little, as though panicked.

"N-no," she admitted. "I-I had a nightmare last night."

When Undyne nodded, Alphys hesitated, then just blurted it all out - as well as why she wanted to tell Undyne about Flowey in the first place: the fear that what she saw would come true.

Undyne listened to her, nodding a little, before she said anything.

"Okay," she said. "You had a similar dream before, remember?"

When Alphys nodded, she went on.

"And that sure as hell didn't come true. There's no reason to think anything in those dreams are real, Alphy. They're just dreams."

"Th-they _felt_ real," Alphys admitted. "They felt _so real,_ Undyne..."

"Yeah, they do that sometimes," Undyne agreed.

She'd had some dreams like that, too, dreams that had left her shaken for days after - only to find her fears were baseless.

"Just... don't worry about it, okay?"

Alphys looked away, but Undyne shook her by the shoulders a little until she looked back.

"Alphy, I'm here. I'm right here. And I'm sure as fuck not going anywhere, got it?"

And she grinned, her feral, toothy grin, and Alphys couldn't help but smile in return. "O-okay," she agreed.

"Now, can we hurry up and shower? I want to get the hell out of here," Undyne suddenly begged, making a face. "This place really sucks."

"That's an understatement," Alphys said.

But she agreed with it nonetheless.

* * *

"So," Undyne was saying, glancing at her phone.

They were standing in front of the doorway of the Lab, about to leave, when she got a text message from Timothy and paused to read it. "Tim's gonna meet us at Grillby's. So, apparently, is sans."

Alphys looked up with interest at that. "sans? So he's finally emerged from wherever he was hiding?"

"Yep," Undyne agreed. "Which I'm personally glad for. I was starting to worry about him. But now I can see him for myself and figure out whether or not I actually need to. Although..."

She paused for a moment. "It's only been a few days, really. It's not that long a time."

"Has it really only been a few days?" Alphys wondered softly. "So much has happened, it feels like it's been so much longer."

Undyne smiled at her and grabbed her hand, and she returned it and held on tight.

"Who else will be there?" she wondered.

She reached up with her other hand and opened the door, and they walked through it. It closed automatically behind them.

Undyne winced the moment the hot air touched her skin, but she kept walking. "Not sure," she admitted, her eye focused forward and counting the steps between here and Waterfall. She always did that, to keep her mind off of the heat. "But I think it'll be kinda nice, regardless."

Alphys nodded.

They walked in silence for a little bit, pausing only so that Undyne could get a drink before they continued on.

Before they'd left, Alphys had reactivated the Welcome sign, and when they walked past it, Undyne smiled at it. It was nice to see it moving again, nice to see a sign that things were still moving forward, that they hadn't given up and were still alive and kicking. It was probably weird to be comforted by a sign, but it didn't make it any less true.

"Heh," Undyne suddenly said, her eye trained forward again. She'd caught sight, in the near distance, of the large, pointed rock that served as the unofficial start to Hotland.

Alphys looked up at her. "What?"

"That rock," she explained, pointing at it. "I used to love that thing. I loved to climb it, loved to just sit on it and think, or sometimes stand and look around. I always thought: when a human falls down, I'm gonna tell them why I'm about to kill them. I'm gonna make sure they _know_ why they're being killed. I had a speech and everything..."

Alphys bit her lip, but remained quiet. She didn't know what to say to this.

"Now," Undyne said, her voice sharp. "I hate it. I _hate_ that rock. I hate it, because it reminds me of what _could_ have been. It reminds me of all of the time I wasted preparing for a human, as if impressing them or teaching them even mattered." She glared at it as they got closer. "It didn't."

Alphys reached up and grabbed her hand again, unable to think of anything to say to this. If anything, she completely understood: she, too, had had plans on how to approach the human.

They were very different, this was true, but still similar enough to allow empathy.

They walked through it in silence, though when they did, Undyne held onto Alphys's hand tighter.

When they had left it behind, Alphys looked up at her and noticed she was pale. She stopped, and in turn so did Undyne, whose eye was bright and wide.

"Undyne," she said gently.

It took her a moment, but Undyne managed to look at her, and she nodded, her lips pressed closed.

"Do you want to find another way to Waterfall?" Alphys asked her, keeping her voice soft.

She knew why Undyne was upset - she was upset as well - and wanted to help in any way she could. If anything, if there was a good excuse to avoid this area, she'd take it.

"No," Undyne said finally, growling the word out. _"No._ This is _our_ home, and I refuse to let the memory of that horrible thing ruin _everything."_

But she still looked uncomfortable regardless. She hesitated, and Alphys reached up and rubbed her hand gently.

"Okay," she said softly. "Okay, let's keep going."

Alphys nodded, and they went, only Undyne kept holding onto her hand so tight, it kind of hurt a little. Yet she didn't pull away, instead keeping close.

The entire time they walked through the path, she kept her eyes on Undyne, who was staring ahead, refusing to let her eye wander. Instead, she kept it focused forward, again, though it was a little unfocused.

When Alphys's eyes were caught by the sight of a patch of scorched earth, she winced and looked away quickly, but unfortunately the gesture caught Undyne's attention, and she looked down, too, her breath catching.

They stopped without any control, and they both stared at it.

It was the exact place where the human had fallen - where Undyne had left the human behind with its soul in her hand.

"God," Undyne whispered. "It hurts. It really hurts..."

Alphys moved closer. "What does?"

Undyne leaned on her a little. "Just... being here. Remembering. It's like I can feel how it felt back then all over again, and it hurts. I... I was so sure I was done, Alphy. But I remember thinking: okay, fuck it, then. Just get the soul to Asgore and be done with it."

Alphys winced, her eyes closing. She remembered that, too - remembered how Undyne looked the moment she held the soul in her hand - and remembered flooding with panic, her hands fumbling with her phone and dropping it twice before she managed to call her.

"Alphy," Undyne murmured, "if you hadn't of told me to absorb the soul, everything would have been for nothing. Do you know that?"

Alphys shook her head, keeping her eyes closed. "No," she answered. "If you hadn't of managed to get the soul in the first place, _then_ it would have been all for nothing."

Undyne was quiet for a moment. Then, she said softly, "Even then, we were already a team."

Alphys opened her eyes and looked up at her - and found her already looking down at her with a faint smile.

"You were always looking out for me, and I was always looking out for you. And together, always, we were looking out for everyone else." Undyne smiled wider. "It's true. Admit it. Even before the barrier broke, we were already together, already thinking about the future, protecting those who couldn't protect themselves - even when that meant each other. In a way..."

She leaned down closer, pressing her forehead to Alphys's, and Alphys closed her eyes, a lump forming in her throat. "Ever since we knew what we were up against, you and I... we were already a team."

Alphys nodded, too choked up to speak, and she reached up and hugged Undyne close, her arms around her neck. Undyne's smile faded, her eye closing and her face going to her shoulder.

"Alphy," she whispered. "You and I... we're gonna make things right."

It wasn't the first time she'd said this, but for some reason, this time, the words struck Alphys deep, and she nodded again, standing on her toes in order to hug her as close as possible. If it were up to her, she'd never let go ever again.

But that was the precise moment that Flowey showed up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *finger guns at Glavenus* ;D


	37. Altruism

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhm, so this chapter already has fanart! And it's by the fucken amazing AerisHikari! 
> 
> Link: http://aerishikari.tumblr.com/post/157878571577/spoiler-alert
> 
> PLEASE CHECK IT OUT AND TELL HER HOW AMAZING SHE IS!!!

Flowey popped up from the ground, right in front of both Alphys and Undyne, wearing a wide grin.

Undyne jumped back, startled, but Alphys remained where she stood. She flinched, but the moment her eyes met his, she felt a wave of dread, and she immediately moved so that she stood in front of Undyne.

 _"Y-you,"_ she said, her voice catching in her shock.

"Me," he agreed, grinning at her.

"What's going on?" Undyne asked, moving back to Alphys and putting her hands on her shoulders tight. "Who the hell is that?!" She paused, her eye flaring in recognition. "Wait... is that--?"

Alphys didn't answer, though she nodded once; her eyes were wide and full of fear, trained on Flowey as though glued to him.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" she demanded, though her voice was small - tiny, really.

"I figured it out," he said, still smiling. "You see, we're trapped here, in this messed-up hell of a timeline, because the rest of you are still alive."

Alphys gritted her teeth, one hand reaching back in order to make sure that Undyne was still behind her.

"If all of you die, then that _has_ to reset everything, doesn't it?" he continued, slowly moving towards them, his vines lengthening behind him as though left there. "That _has_ to fix everything. And then, when everything is fixed again, everyone will be alive again."

Alphys felt her heart race painfully, felt her power surging up slowly as her breaths quickened. She had no idea what he was talking about, but she didn't need to in order to know that what he planned wasn't good.

For _anyone._

"And since both you and the Captain have the souls," Flowey continued, his voice slipping up and down several octaves the longer he talked, its timbre haunting in its fluidity. "You two are the ones who need to die, first."

Those vines behind him suddenly rose up, their tips razor sharp and glinting - and aimed for them both.

"Alphy--!"

_"No!"_

In that split second, Alphys turned and shoved Undyne away from her, her power rushing out and forming a bright yellow shield around her wife, one so strong that Flowey's attacking vines skidded off its surface as though it were made of ice.

But only after they had stabbed through Alphys, first.

Alphys kept her hands up, even as she felt bright pain bite into her body and bring darkness to the edges of her vision.

Because behind that shield was Undyne, who stared at her in horror from the ground, a broken cry tearing from her throat the moment she realised what had just happened.

Undyne had been pushed free and shielded by Alphys's magic perfectly, Alphys's attention not once wavering in order to keep it up and strong.

But only over Undyne.

She had made sure that her power was only focused on her wife, so that Flowey's vines would only be able to find her, and not Undyne.

Undyne scrambled to her feet quickly, her eye blazing bright, but when she tried to throw herself forward, in order to break the shield and get back to Alphys, the shield brought her back down to the ground, sparking but remaining solid.

Alphys smiled faintly, staggering now. Her hands shook, but she kept them up. Her eyes filled and overflowed, but they stayed on Undyne, even as the image of her began to fade.

She fell to her knees, tasting blood, but kept her hands up.

 _"Alphy!"_ Undyne screamed, getting back to her feet and pounding on the shield, to no avail. "Alphy, _no!_ Lower the shield, Alphy! Alphy, _please!!"_

Alphys shook her head, feeling the pain throughout her whole body, now, coughing a little. Flowey had done a good job, using his vines to skewer her in almost every vital spot, just barely missing her heart, and she couldn't speak. She could barely hear Undyne, could hardly see her, and even then, she was starting to lose that, too.

But she kept her hands up and her power loosed.

Even as she felt blood run down her chin, feel it soak through her clothes, she refused to pull back, refused to call back that power, even if it meant saving her life.

Because her _true_ life was behind that shield, screaming her name and sobbing, trying to break free of it.

Flowey, she realised, was speaking. It took her a while to understand it; she was focusing everything on that shield.

"You _idiot,"_ he was saying, though he laughed. "The moment you die, so will that shield! You've only saved her for a moment, and for _what?!"_ He laughed again. "I'll kill her the moment you're dead!"

Alphys gritted her teeth, his words slowly being drowned out by the sound of her heart beating desperately within her breast, trying to keep her alive as best as it could, while her body remained broken and dying upon Flowey's vines.

She stared at Undyne, barely able to see her, now.

 _I love you,_ she thought to her. _I love you so much. You can't die. You_ can't _die. This world was meant for you..._

The only thing protecting Undyne was her magic, though. Flowey was right; if Alphys died, so would her magic - and then Undyne would, too.

_So... then..._

_I..._

_I can't die._

The words echoed through her, small at first, barely a whisper heard over the frantic beating of her heart.

She could feel her arms starting to fall, her hands lowering as her body started to fade.

_I can't die..._

It was louder, that time, and it caught her attention.

_I can't die...!_

She felt something, then, something hot within her, and she focused on it, time almost slowing down as she did.

_I can't die!_

She clung to it, desperately, now, that thought growing louder and louder - and with it, that hot feeling spread throughout her whole body, flowing through her veins like her blood was made of flame.

_I can't die!!_

She breathed deep, finding it easier, just a little. She focused on that, focused inward, and with every breath, felt her power seem to grow stronger, brighter...

_I CAN'T DIE!!_

She grabbed onto it, pulled it to her, and found herself suddenly overcome with light.

All she could see was gold, all she could feel was gold, and she let it wash over her, surrendered to it, feeling that pain and fear fade the longer she did.

Her shield suddenly flared with light, just as she did.

 _I_ won't _die!!_

 _I_ refuse _to die!!_

_I WON'T DIE!!_

Both Undyne and Flowey were blinded by it, but Alphys was not. If anything, she felt as though she could see clearly, for the first time in her life.

She felt strength suddenly course through her, shocking her, but not for long. She grabbed onto it desperately, pulling it to her - no, _into_ her - and she felt it obey. She used it to shake off those vines - as though they were nothing - and to get back to her feet, to open her eyes again, and to finally turn to her would-be killer and greatest mistake.

And when that light faded, she was almost unrecognisable.

She stood up to her full height, her eyes black but blazing, one hand held up and pointed behind her and at Undyne, keeping that shield in place. The other she held in front of Flowey, only it wasn't empty: she held what looked like a hilt of a sword, only with a fork of lightning for its blade, crackling yellow and constantly changing with its currents, looking as if it were eager to be loosed - only she held it easily and steady in place.

As the light soon faded and she could be seen better, it was clear that even her clothes had changed, and she looked like she wore armour - modest armour, save for its colour, which was as golden as her magic.

She no longer felt pain. She no longer felt fear.

She felt...

_...determined._

Undyne stared, her eye wide in disbelief, her mouth open and dry with fear - and amazement.

Flowey stared at her in a similar way, only the fear was for himself.

Alphys grinned at him suddenly. "Bet you didn't see _that_ coming," she said softly, though her words were rich with power.

And before he could even reply, she attacked.

Undyne made a sound, then, reaching out with every shred of her power to try and break the shield. When nothing changed, she was shocked; she'd had no idea that Alphys could be this strong, and felt the fool for underestimating her. Frantically, she tried to find some way around it, only to discover that it was less a shield and more like a sphere, one that trapped her in place.

When she realised that, she started to panic - especially as the fight between her wife and that demon flower progressed.

Alphys didn't feel like herself. Rather, she felt like so much _more_ than what she was used to being.

As Flowey tried to used his vines to either stab her or restrain her, she very easily swung that sword and threw her magic, discovering quite easily that the moment it left the blade, it smoothed out into a chevron of light and sliced those vines away from her, making them fall to the ground beneath them uselessly. She was no warrior, but found that when she put her mind to fighting - to surviving - she became as close to one as she could get.

Flowey's face was twisted with rage, clearly bent on killing her.

But Alphys refused to die.

 _"Just let me kill you!"_ he screamed at her. "It's the only way to make things right again! Don't you _want_ things to be _right?!"_

Alphys laughed suddenly, the sound almost alien, even to herself. "That's not how it works," she answered, her voice a snarl. She threw her magic again, just as another vine was wrapping itself around her throat. It loosened, and she tore it free and threw it away.

Flowey glared at her, then reared back suddenly. It startled her, giving him just enough time to summon almost five times more of his vines than she was ready for. She jumped back, throwing her magic out as hard as she could, but she only managed to cut a few; several ended up either cutting her arms or wrapping around her legs. She stumbled, gritting her teeth, and he laughed at her and dragged her down to the ground.

Alphys landed hard on her back, so hard the breath was knocked from her for a moment, the sword dropping to the ground, and her vision went black as she struggled to reclaim it.

Undyne shouted out her name, her hands scratching desperately at her prison. _"Lower this!"_ she screamed. "Alphy, lower it so I can help you!"

Alphys heard her from far away, but her words were enough to bring her to, to remind her of why she was fighting, and her eyes snapped open, blazing bright yellow.

By then, Flowey had her arms restrained, but she grinned and flexed her hands, and a blast of gold thrust forth from her palms and sliced into those vines, freeing her immediately. Flowey howled in pain, trying to drag her by her ankles, but she made quick work of those, as well, and was soon back on her feet - hurt, but nowhere near down and out.

Flowey, however, was cowering. He was wounded, his many severed vines bleeding all around him, and he looked panicked, now, his eyes wide and his breaths harsh.

Alphys leaned down and grabbed the sword, before she summoned another fork of lightning with it.

"I _am_ sorry for creating you," she said softly, and he shuddered. "But at least now I can finally correct that mistake."

She darted forward and brought her arm back, ready to slice his head from his stalk--

\--only to have a child-sized hand grab her wrist and stop her in place.


	38. Future

Alphys was so shocked that both her weapon and the shield faded, and she stumbled backwards, trying to break free.

Undyne lunged forward with a cry and went to her, just as she started to collapse.

Alphys felt as if, in that one touch, her will to fight had drained away, and she stared at the small human before her - barely her height, with reddish eyes and a cap of soft hair, their face blank - but determined. Her eyes were even changing back, the white slowly reappearing as the black drew back to the iris.

"Stop," the human said softly.

And when they let go of Alphys's wrist, she felt as if she were about to faint, feeling as if that touch had not only drained her power away, but some of her life, too - though how, she had no idea.

Undyne again grabbed her before she could fall, and Alphys leaned against her, closing her eyes for a moment, her left hand grabbing for Undyne's. The moment their palms touched, she felt a little better, especially when Undyne's other hand rested on her forehead.

Undyne took a moment to close her eye and bury her face into Alphys's shoulder, struggling to remain calm, so relieved to be free and holding her wife again.

Then, as Alphys struggled to catch her breath, Undyne raised her head and opened her eye, meeting the human's gaze right on.

Behind them was Flowey, still cowering and afraid, but his eyes on the human as well.

"It's _you,"_ Undyne said softly, startling Alphys into opening her eyes slowly. "You're the one I met in the void. You're the one who told me how to save Alphy."

The human nodded.

 _"Chara!"_ Flowey suddenly gasped out. "Kill them! Do it, and we can reset!"

Chara turned around and looked at him, looking mildly surprised - and disappointed. "You know that's not going to work," they said softly. "The only thing that will happen is more death. I thought you were done with that."

"But... if we erase the ones who changed everything--,"

"The one who changed everything _is_ _already erased_ , and nothing changed," interrupted Chara sharply. "This is how things are. You cannot change them, no matter how many people you murder. Stop, now, before you even start."

Undyne and Alphys remained silent, though not idle.

Undyne kept Alphys close as she caught her breath, though she could feel that blessed power, that glorious strength, slowly leaving her. She clutched Undyne's hand tightly in hers, feeling that gentle tingle of warmth it brought spread through her body and help her focus. Undyne kept her still, occasionally kissing Alphys's pale cheeks, unable to help herself.

Undyne didn't realise it yet, but she was weeping. She had truly thought, that in that moment, she had lost Alphys, forever, and now that she hadn't, she wasn't going to let Alphys go.

"Look at you," Chara was saying. "You're about to die, and yet you're still acting like you have the upper hand." They sounded both disgusted and frustrated. "Is that what you want to happen? You would abandon me so quickly?"

Flowey lowered his head, his vines slowly shrinking and withdrawing. "No," he answered, his voice small, now. "No, of course not..."

 _"Then go home,"_ snapped Chara.

Flowey hesitated. He looked at Alphys, his expression twisting to one of pure hatred, and for a moment, Undyne wondered if he was going to ignore Chara and attack them, anyway.

But then, his eyes went back to Chara, and the expression faded. He nodded, and with a small popping sound, jumped back into the earth and was gone.

Just like that.

Alphys stared at the human child in front of her, wondering if she was hallucinating. She felt like she was; she felt light-headed and confused, and was finally starting to feel the pain from the wounds Flowey had actually managed to land on her (they were shallow and minor, but they still hurt like hell). Undyne held her tight, and that helped a great deal, as even just touching her connected them and made her feel better, borrowing both Undyne's strength and protection for the moment.

Undyne was also transfixed, but instead of staring at Chara, she was staring at the ground, where dozens of dead vines still remained - some of them still red, from her wife's blood.

"You..." Alphys whispered. "Y-you're the... you're... the first child."

Chara turned around and nodded, looking sombre. "Yes."

Undyne's eye finally flicked back to Chara. "Who are you, really?" she wondered. "You show up just when we need you, and yet when it comes down to it, you clearly care about that little shit. What the hell is your deal?"

She paused. "Your name is Chara...? Wasn't that the name of Asgore's human child?!"

Alphys blinked slowly, but didn't add anything. Truly, she honestly wanted to know the same, even if she would have worded it differently. She didn't even understand _how_ Chara was here at all, let alone _why_.

Chara, however, blinked back, nonplussed. "Which do you want me to answer?" they wondered, tilting their head a little and smiling faintly.

"All of them," Undyne snapped.

"Actually," Alphys interjected softly. "I-I have a question, too."

When Chara merely shifted their eyes to her, she asked, _"How_ are you here?"

Chara smiled thinly in return. "Asriel absorbed my soul before he died and became dust," they said softly. "That's really all you need to know, isn't it?"

Alphys swallowed, her mouth and throat dry. It was true, after all. "Y-yes," she agreed.

 _"No,"_ Undyne answered. "He almost killed us, that little flower bastard! Why did you stop Alphy from killing him?!"

Chara looked back at her, their expression almost... tired, really. "You can't figure that out on your own, really?" they wondered.

When Undyne glared and Alphys remained silent, Chara smirked. "Maybe someday I'll tell you," they concluded.

"Or you could just tell us _now_ and save us the aggravation - especially if that thing comes back!" Undyne answered. "If he comes back, if he gets to the surface--,"

"He won't," Chara interrupted firmly.

Undyne opened her mouth to protest, but again she was cut off.

"He will not," they repeated, their voice louder. Then they smiled again. "But I promise you, if he does, I won't interfere: you can kill him."

Alphys felt a chill at that - especially when she stopped to think about _why_ Chara would allow something like that.

"Good, because I will," Undyne promised in return.

"And I won't stop you," Chara returned, without even as twitching at Undyne's tone.

It was a curious reaction, really; they'd just risked themself to save Flowey, had they not? So why, now, when faced with a threat of reversing that effort, were they so... uncaring?

Chara's eyes shifted to Alphys, who blinked at them in return. "Are you alright?" they asked softly. "I'm sorry for the way I stopped you, but it was the only way. You'll be fine in a day or so."

Alphys nodded, biting down on her lip to keep herself from asking more questions. She felt as if she really had used up their question allowance with Chara, and the last thing she wanted was to experience what she had when Chara had touched her, again.

"You could have _killed_ her," Undyne snarled.

"No," Chara replied. "If I wanted to, I could, very easily."

Their eyes focused on Alphys, so sharp that she felt as if she were being looked through - or into.

"Very, very, easily," they added. "But believe it or not, I don't want anyone to die - _or_ kill - anymore."

Undyne didn't have anything to say to that, though she did grit her teeth and hug onto Alphys a little tighter.

"I hope we _never_ meet again," Chara said softly, though they smiled. _"Ever."_

And before anyone could even add to that, like a puff of smoke, they were just... gone.

* * *

_"Something came up. We won't be by today. Gonna stay in Waterfall for the day. Will follow up later."_

Timothy got this text from Undyne, who blinked and immediately showed it to sans, as he felt it was strange, even for her. It was almost too formal, and yet barely had any information.

When sans read it, he felt the same way - only worse, as catastrophising was also sans's way.

"I wonder what could, like, come up for the Captain to abandon any of her plans?" Timothy wondered.

Beside him, George - better known as RG 02 - leaned over and nodded sombrely in agreement.

"yeah," sans agreed, sliding out of his stool and getting to his feet, handing the phone back. "especially since she practically bragged she would get here."

He looked up and over at Grillby, who raised a brow and nodded, and he sighed. "i'll go check it out."

"She's probably fine, right?" Timothy wondered. "I mean, it's the Underground. We're _way_ safer than anything above, aren't we?"

sans nodded, but his eyes were already on the door, and he didn't say a word in return, vanishing out the door and only leaving confusion behind.

* * *

The walk to Undyne's house was slow, but they did get there eventually.

They were both quiet, still in shock over what had just happened, but when it came down to it, they really didn't need to say much of anything, just yet.

Undyne was holding Alphys around her waist, one of Alphys's arms around her own waist, to keep her steady as they walked. She had insisted that she walked, even when Undyne snapped that she could easily be carried - but Alphys was adamant, and she eventually gave in just so they could finally get going. She knew why Alphys felt that way, and it annoyed her, but it also mattered so little in the scheme of things, really.

When they walked in, and they went towards Undyne's bedroom, Alphys suddenly smiled. "Y-you know, wh-when I imagined ever b-being in your bedroom, it certainly was n-never in _this_ context."

Undyne stopped and glared at her, but she couldn't help it: her lips twitched upward a little. "The shit you say whenever something serious happens will never cease to amaze me, Alphy."

Alphys smiled wider and slipped from her grasp, heavily sitting down on Undyne's bed and leaning forward, holding her head in her hands for a moment.

Undyne took that moment to look at her, truly look at her: she was still wearing that armour, though it was slightly dented in some places, now, and had a few flecks of blood and smudges of dust on it. One of Alphys's lenses was cracked, but she didn't seem to notice - nor did she seem to really care about the fact that she needed medical attention.

Undyne knelt down in front of her and pulled one of Alphys's hands to her, holding it tight between her own. Alphys blinked slowly and met her gaze, and for a moment, they just stared at each other, unable to say a word.

Then, Undyne leapt up and hugged her, uttering a small sob. Alphys grabbed her and held her tight, closing her eyes again and gritting her teeth, trying to choke back her own tears but failing.

"You _bitch,"_ Undyne sobbed out, her voice breaking. "I can't believe you _did that._ What gives you the right to even _think_ you can do shit like that?!"

"Undyne--," Alphys murmured, but she was cut off.

 _"No, shut up!"_ Undyne snapped, though she didn't pull away and her hold on Alphys tightened. "You need to _stop that,_ Alphy! Stop doing that! Just fucking _stop,_ okay?!"

"But--,"

"Shut up!" Undyne repeated. "I get it, I do," she admitted, her voice wavering. "You saved me, I _know_ you did, and if you hadn't done what you did, I _would_ be dead. And so would've..."

Her words were cut off for a moment, choking a little on her tears. "But, Alphy, _please,_ I can't... I can't lose you... I _know_ you did the right thing... but... b-but..."

She didn't know how to explain it: how, despite being saved and despite likely having the power to kill Flowey on her own, the fact was that if it was all at the price of Alphys's life, it wasn't worth it to her. She knew it was selfish, especially now, but even with a child that was Alphys's, too, it wouldn't be the same without her - or enough.

She wanted Alphys in her life, or nothing at all. And she _knew_ it was selfish, and not the way a ruler - or a mother -  should think. But she still felt it, regardless.

"We got so fucking lucky," she blurted out. "It was pure luck, Alphy. In any other circumstances, you'd be dead right now. Do you even get that?!"

Alphys nodded slowly. "I know," she murmured. "B-but--,"

"Don't say it," Undyne snarled. _"Don't even fucking say it."_

Alphys shut her mouth and closed her eyes, holding Undyne closer to her as best as possible, something Undyne fell into almost desperately.

"If we're gonna have a kid, you need to learn that you need to _be there,_ Alphy," Undyne went on. "You can't throw your life away. We - this kid and me - need you to be _alive,_ Alphy. Promise me."

Alphys paused. "Promise y-you what?"

"Promise me you won't do that shit, ever again."

Alphys hesitated, her eyes opening and filling, again. "I... Undyne, I..."

"Promise me, Alphy!"

"Okay," she whispered. "I promise."

She initially said it to try and calm Undyne down, to stop her from feeling so much pain and panic. But the moment the words left her mouth, she realised they were the truth - because Undyne was absolutely right. She wanted to defend and protect the people she loved, but if she did it at the expense of her life, the only thing she'd leave behind was pain. If she were going to do it, she needed to know _how_ to defend, without having to always do so at such a cost.

"I promise," she repeated, putting everything she was feeling into the words, and when Undyne buried her face into her neck and started sobbing in both relief and remaining fear, she couldn't help but join her.


	39. Rest

In her entire life, Undyne had never cried as much than she knew she had over the span of a month and a half, and yet she still sometimes seemed to find the energy and water for more, even now.

Thankfully, though she cried hard and a great deal, she did eventually manage to calm down. Alphys was a great help in that, despite the fact that she, too, was overcome; that didn't stop her from keeping Undyne close and stroking her hair, pausing only to murmur comforting things to her.

There had been many moments that Undyne found herself stunned by Alphys's patience and care of her, but in this instance, she felt it so strongly that she felt as if she were falling in love with her all over again.

When they had calmed, Alphys whispered, "Are you alright?"

Undyne nodded a little, her eye still closed. "Yeah, I think so," she said, her voice hoarse.

"Okay."

Undyne opened her eye at Alphys's tone: it was drained.

"I... I th-think I-I n-need..." Alphys trailed off, sighing with what sounded like frustration.

Undyne leaned back to look at her, her expression patient - alongside the worry.

Alphys's head lowered, her eyes closed, and her face was pale. "I... n-need... help," she finally finished, sounding ashamed.

Undyne, however, was kind, and she suddenly felt like she should have expected that, rather than feel the default shame.

She reached up and rubbed one of Alphys's cheeks gently, smiling. "Shower?" she wondered softly, getting it right. "Or bath?"

Alphys leaned into her hand. "Bath," she admitted. She didn't think she had enough energy to stand in one place for very long, least of all the amount it would take to get clean.

Undyne nodded, pulling away, before standing up and taking hold of her hands to help her up. Alphys stood shakily, her legs wobbly and her vision dark around the edges for a moment, but Undyne kept her steady, and she was grateful.

It took them a while to figure out how to get the armour off, something that frustrated them both, despite the feeling of amazement that came with even looking at it. It was a gorgeous set, clearly strong and suited for battles, and Undyne even envied it a little.

Once they did get it off, and managed to get the undergarments off as well, Alphys was feeling tired, already.

Undyne walked her into the bathroom, sat her down on the side of the tub, and undressed, herself, before she began to run the water and fill it. Alphys kept her eyes closed and leaned against the wall, her eyes closed but the sound of rushing water oddly soothing.

Alphys must have dozed off for a moment, because the next thing she remembered was Undyne gently taking hold of her and bringing her with her into the tub, sitting down first before setting Alphys down in front of her.

Alphys sighed deeply, the water hot and comforting, and they took a moment to just sit and _enjoy_ it.

Then, in silence, Undyne grabbed the soap and started to wash her, something that was strangely intimate to her - to them both, really - but also comforting.

Alphys felt so soothed beneath Undyne's hands, feeling the fear wash away along with the dust and blood that had covered her skin. Undyne bit her lip as she did this, having to go over every cut and bruise in order to make sure there would be no infection, but doing so served to remind her of how much Alphys had risked - especially when the evidence remained on her back, regardless of healing.

There were marks, there, a misshapen pattern of uneven circles no larger than a dime, that dotted along her back, the places that Flowey had managed to stab her. They looked almost old, now, but Undyne still felt sick seeing them, especially since they served to remind her of just how much she'd almost lost in a split second. 

Alphys didn't really notice. She had her eyes closed the whole time, her head hanging low and her hands limp on her thighs, concentrating on Undyne's touch. She tried to push the images of the fight out of her mind, but it didn't work too well, and she couldn't help it - she started to tremble.

Undyne's hands paused, and she said, "Are you cold?"

"N-no," Alphys murmured. "Pl-please, continue."

Undyne bit her lip, but complied.

As she did, however, she said, "Do we need to go to a hospital, Alphy?"

Alphys was going to protest the question, but she paused, hesitating. She did a quick internal assessment, and while she felt incredibly weak and sore, there was likely nothing a hospital could do that sleep couldn't do better, so she shook her head.

"N-no," she said honestly, her eyes still closed. "J-just sleep, I think."

"Are you sure?" Undyne pressed, doubtful.

If it had been her, she'd go to one, without question; she didn't mess around with her own health, and trusted professionals to help her better than she could help herself.

But then, Alphys was also a doctor, herself; she'd know, and would be able to figure it out on her own.

"Y-yes," Alphys agreed, proving her right. "J-just... st-stay with me?"

Undyne lowered the soap, her heart aching at the tone of Alphys's voice, and she leaned forward and hugged Alphys tight, her arms going around her waist and her cheek to her back.

"Always," she whispered, and Alphys bit her lip, grabbing hold of Undyne's hands for a moment.

When she was finally clean, Undyne wrapped her up in towels and helped her back to her bed, something that had Alphys actually blushing a little shyly from, as it was still rather intimate to her. Granted, the bed itself was a little dusty from disuse, but the sheets beneath were still clean, and when Undyne had crawled in beside her and held her tight, that blush faded, her expression changing to one of deep contentment.

"Undyne," she whispered, feeling herself starting to fall asleep.

When Undyne nodded, she added, "I love you."

Undyne closed her eye and kissed her forehead. "I love you," she replied, her voice wavering. "So much, Alphy."

"Th-thank you," Alphys replied, her voice thick. "It... it m-means so much... _you_ mean s-so much..."

Undyne swallowed, closing her eye and pulling her closer, burying her face into her shoulder.

By then, Alphys was mostly asleep, so she kept quiet and just listened to her breathe, so glad that she could hear it.

 _I'm gonna teach you to fight,_ she thought suddenly, gritting her teeth. _I'm gonna help you get stronger, so that you'll never, ever do this again._

It was a promise she would keep.

* * *

Undyne was just about to make a cup of tea for herself, now dressed but staying quiet as Alphys slept, when there was a knock at the door.

Stupidly, she felt her heart suddenly light up, being back in her house allowing her to forget - for a moment - that the person at the door was not who she hoped it was. She had actually darted to the door with a grin, about to blurt out the fact that Alphys was actually in her bed - when she paused, her face falling along with her heart.

It wasn't Papyrus, like she'd initially thought - hoped, really. It wouldn't ever be, again.

She hesitated, her hand over her chest, that wound ripping open afresh and hurting far more than she cared to admit, even to herself.

With a sigh, she went to the door and opened it, and blinked in surprise. "sans?" she said, not at all expecting him, of all people.

sans especially looked worried, another thing that was unusual. He looked right into her eye and said, with no preamble, "what happened?"

"How did you--?"

"what happened, undyne?" he repeated, his eyes dim and searching her face. "you wouldn't normally blow us off for just anything. we all know that. what happened? and where's alphys?"

Undyne nodded, moving aside to let him in, before she shut the door behind him. She gestured to the table, but he didn't sit down, instead staying in the doorway and staring at her, waiting for her answer.

"Sit the hell down," she snapped, "because it's not a short story."

sans finally did, and she sat down in front of him. With a heavy heart, her hands on the table, she told him what had happened - everything.

The more she went on, the wider his eyes went - and the dimmer they became.

By the end, his eyes had almost been snuffed out, and he looked ready to either yell or run.

"She's okay," Undyne finally concluded, reaching forward and placing her hand on his, for her comfort as well as his. "She's just sleeping, now. She'll be fine."

sans shook his head slowly, not as a denial of what she was saying, but rather disbelief in the whole thing in the first place.

"why the hell would she do that?" he wondered, his voice low. "you have six human souls, undyne. even if the bastard had hit you, it wouldn't of killed you. hurt you, yes, landed a hit, most likely, but kill you, like it would have, her? no."

"Uh," Undyne lowered her gaze. "There's a reason she didn't let him touch me. If he had... he would have..."

She sighed. "sans, I'm pregnant."

sans's eyes went so wide that it rather amazed her, and his bony hand twitched beneath hers.

"oh," he murmured, his voice so soft it amazed her. _"oh._ _now_ it makes sense. he would've..." He winced. "shit."

"Yeah," Undyne agreed. "I can't say I wouldn't of done the same thing, had our roles been reversed, but at least I would have for sure survived it. Alphys took that hit with the intent to... to... to _die_ for me... for _us,_ I guess... and that..."

Her expression fell. _"That_ kills me, sans. It hurts so much. I _can't_ lose her."

"does she know you feel this way?"

Undyne nodded. "I called her a bitch," she admitted.

sans snorted, then covered his mouth and coughed, trying to hide it.

Undyne smiled despite herself, as it was kind of funny if you stepped back and looked at it, in an absurd kind of way.

"well," he managed. "that's certainly _one_ way to get the message across, i'll grant you that."

"She got it, though," Undyne said softly, pulling her hand away to cup her chin on her hand, her other hand at the pendant around her neck. "I could tell. Something in her eyes... it just focused, and I knew she took me seriously."

"you know what saved her though, right?" sans wondered.

Undyne nodded. "The same thing that saved me when the human tried to murder me," she admitted. "Alphy tried to explain it to me, about how I'd somehow managed to..." She made a face. "How did she word it? 'Create my own determination'. How the hell does that even work, sans? I'm a monster, and monsters don't have that."

sans smiled faintly. _"you_ do," he answered.

"Well, _now_ I for sure do," she agreed. "But where the hell did _that_ determination come from?"

sans paused for a moment before he answered. "you know, i once heard that, before the rift, humans and monsters were actually close, and married often and had kids. maybe in your bloodline, there was a human."

Undyne blinked in surprise. She'd never even thought of that. "Whoa," she murmured. "That's... really interesting," she admitted.

"granted, it'd be hard to figure out how far back it was," sans admitted. "but i'm sure there's a little human in all of us, really. and like any sleeping gene, you just happened to get the determination gene."

"Neat," Undyne murmured, smiling a little. "I kinda like the idea, that there's a bit of human in all of us. Do you think the humans of Ebott are the same way, with bits of monsters still in them?"

sans hesitated. "well," he said softly, "maybe."

"You hate them, still," Undyne observed.

"yep."

"When will you ever get over that, sans?" Undyne sighed.

"dunno," he admitted. "i want to, but they make it so hard."

"Not all of them."

"enough of them," he muttered. "look at your wife, undyne."

"Yeah, who was attacked by a _monster_ today, sans, not a human."

She had him there, and he shut up, holding his hands out in surrender.

"in that case," he said, his voice dry. "what will you do next?"

"I still want to finish this trip," she admitted firmly. "I need the closure, especially now, and I know Alphy, does, too. Plus, we want to make contact with as many people as possible, those who want to help us, to get us started. We already have two people who practically begged for the chance." She smiled. "Not my first choices, but they were still good ones."

"which is why you wanted to go to grillby's today?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I wanted to ask Tim and George, and anyone else - even Grillby." She grinned. "His food would do so well on the surface, and it would be the kind of comfort that we'd all need as we're growing. And I hope, as time goes on and the temporary settlement flourishes, we'll finally be able to move into the city - once we prove we know how to live on the surface, and well, too."

"and you're sure you can prove that?" sans wondered idly, in a tone that irritated her.

"Yes," she snapped. "Not alone, of course, which is why I'm here, but yes."

sans eyed her for a moment, before he nodded. "i do, too," he finally admitted, surprising her. "i think no one else could have gotten this far but you - and alphys, of course. asgore... he would mean well, but he would balk, i think; his guilt would keep him from trying as hard as you are, from risking as much, too. and we need a leader who is willing to not only ask her people to take those risks, but to take them along with them. that's you, captain."

Undyne smiled, her cheeks warm in surprise. "Wow, sans," she said. "That's gotta be one of the nicest things you've ever said about me."

"yeah, well, don't get too used to it. i have a yearly limit of niceness, after all."

Undyne laughed softly, and he grinned.

"so, are you gonna tell everyone?" sans wondered. "about your egg in the coral?"

Undyne both blushed and glared at him for that. "Not yet," she said. "I... want to wait a month, make sure it'll stay rooted, before I tell anyone. I don't want to get people's hopes up, only to dash them later on."

"wait, how the hell can you possibly know already, if it hasn't been a month?" sans wondered.

"I just do," she answered shortly, her hand trailing down to her middle. "It's hard to explain, okay? But I knew hours after it happened."

sans stared at her. "you... used your souls, didn't you?"

Undyne stared back. "How the hell did you know that?!"

"that's the only way you'd know this soon," he replied, though he still looked shocked. "i'm not stupid, captain. i know some things, and souls just happens to be a big topic for me. you and the doc used your souls during sex, didn't you?"

Undyne went scarlet. "Shut up!" she answered. "That's none of your business!"

"that was dangerous," he threw back. "did you even know that? you both could have shorted out."

"We didn't," she replied, her cheeks still warm and her eye a little unfocused. Her mind was replaying that night, and it was distracting her. "While it was impulse that got us there, when we did, we knew what we were doing. We just... didn't anticipate the result is all."

sans leaned back. "this is going to be a very interesting kid," he observed lightly.

"Why do you say that?" Undyne eyed him as she said it, wondering what he knew that she didn't.

"well... think about it. you have six human souls. alphys has one. you used your souls to create a new one."

He paused, but when she still looked confused, he went on. "that kid... that kid's gonna have determination, undyne."

Undyne stared at him, her mouth open in surprise.

"from _both_ of their mothers, too," he added. "that kid..." He chuckled. "i almost can't wait to see what they'll be like."

She smiled warmly. The idea that their child would be determined actually comforted her, as it would mean that they would be strong, and be able to defend themselves better. And should danger arise, they'd be able to face it with confidence.

 _And I'll make sure they know how to fight,_ she thought happily. _Alphy and I, we can teach them how to fight, how to govern, how to be kind and fierce and silly and brave. The best of both of us..._

"You know what?" Undyne then said. "I can't wait, either." She grinned. "I have to, I know, but I look forward to every single second of it."

"i hate to sound like a fluffball, but you're gonna be a great mother, undyne. you both will be," sans said honestly, smiling back at her.

"Yeah," Undyne agreed, feeling giddy and warm all over. "Damn right I will." She then looked at him seriously. "But you can't say anything to anyone, yet, okay? Well, except Asgore, since he already knows." She made a face. "He knew before Alphy did."

"well, he was a dad, remember?"

"Yep," she agreed. "So you'll keep quiet?"

"my jaws are wired," he promised.

"Cool." She grinned at him, then stood up. "Want some tea?"

He nodded, and she went to make it.

As she did, they chatted idly, catching up on how everyone was, making the talk light after such a heavy topic.

But Undyne's mind was still aglow with the future, and she finally felt herself relaxing about it, at last.


	40. Interlude Four: Desist

"Why did you stop me? Why did you stop _her?!"_

Flowey's voice was furious, despite being strained with pain. He was very rarely angry - or brave enough to be angry - with Chara, but this time, it was deeply personal, and he couldn't help himself.

Chara was lying down on the ground beside him, atop a bed of yellow flowers, their eyes staring upwards at the crack in the rock ceiling. They barely reacted to Flowey's fury, however, one hand toying with their hair, the other resting on their stomach.

"Alphys deserved to die! Even if killing the rest of them wouldn't work, fine, but Alphys, surviving? Alphys, who destroyed our deaths?! That depraved mad scientist deserves to die! And brutally, too!"

Chara sighed.

_"Why did you do it?!"_

"Asriel, if you had killed her, Undyne would have destroyed everything," the finally answered.

"Bullshit!" he snarled. "She only has six souls, also thanks to you! She doesn't have that power, anymore!"

"Asriel," they repeated, sounding annoyed. "Undyne would have reabsorbed the soul she'd given to Alphys the moment she was dust. And then she would have destroyed the world - again. And I would have no means to stop it that time."

Flowey paused, about to retort, but their words actually made deep sense, and he realised that there was no argument he could make. It was true.

"And no, that wouldn't of restarted everything," Chara added. "It would just end everything. You almost killed us all, and for nothing. I told you to leave them alone, and you didn't listen to me."

By the time they had finished, Flowey was quivering from their tone.

Though their voice was soft, their tone was very sharp and cut him deep.

Though they did not look at him, he knew that their eyes were dark with disgust.

"We're trapped here. I've told you this countless times. If you keep bothering them, Asriel, I'm going to let them kill you. Do you understand?"

Flowey stared at them. "What?" he whispered. "Why? If they kill me..."

"I don't care," Chara answered. "Being with that human - Frisk, their name was - made me understand a great deal about cruelty. I knew enough, myself, already, but I had a refresher with Frisk. If you keep trying to destroy the tenuous peace we barely have, after encouraging that child to do it, too, you're going to get murdered by Undyne, and I won't stop her. Because you deserve it, Asriel. And I no longer care."

Flowey shuddered, no longer obstreperous but intimidated and chastised by Chara's merciless words. He tentatively moved closer to them and curled a vine around one of their wrists.

When they didn't pull away, he kept it there.

Chara sighed again, turning their head and finally looking at him.

"Will you listen to me, Asriel?" they wondered. "Or will you kill us both because of petty revenge?"

"I'll listen," he agreed immediately, though his voice was soft.

"And the surface?"

He shuddered again, closing his eyes. "Never again," he murmured.

Chara waited until his eyes opened again before they smiled faintly at him. "Good," they said. "Once this place is empty, we will never need it, don't you think? Our kingdom will be ours again, and for good. That'll be fun, won't it?"

Flowey nodded slowly, smiling. "All I really need in this world is you, Chara."

"And I, you," they agreed, reaching over with their other hand and patting the vine around her wrist. "Forever."

They were silent, then, looking up at the fading sunlight above them, both deciding that this little patch of it was more than enough for them.

For good...

_Perhaps._


	41. Priorities

Undyne's eyelid was drooping when sans suddenly said, surprising her, "can i stay the night?"

She opened her eye and stared at him, confused for a moment, before she finally managed to understand. They'd been talking for quite some time that they'd lost track of it, and found that exhaustion was starting to creep in on at least Undyne.

She listened for a moment, her ears twitching back, but no sound could be heard from her bedroom. Alphys was clearly still out like a light. Then she looked at sans again.

"Uh," she replied. "sans, I don't really have a spare bed, save a blow-up mattress. I don't really get overnight guests, and whenever Papyrus stayed over, he'd never sleep."

sans smiled a little at that; he hadn't known that, and it was nice to hear. What also added to it was that Undyne didn't even hesitate to say it, despite the fact that the memory was now bittersweet.

"that sounds fine," he admitted. "can i just be super-blunt with you?"

Undyne nodded.

"i don't want to go home," he said, his eyes dimming a little. "spending time there, alone... i thought i was ready for it, but i'm not. i haven't slept in a while, since being back here. i just spend the nights awake, wandering and wondering..."

He winced. "i'm lonely."

"Don't you mean _bonely?"_ Undyne wondered idly. He turned to her, and saw that she was grinning at him deviously.

He grinned in return, something that truly felt good, because, for once, it was genuine. "ya got me, captain," he admitted.

"For once," she replied, before getting to her feet. "Wait here, I'll go get it, and some blankets, too. Are you sure it's gonna be enough?"

When he nodded, she shrugged. "Okay, but you sleep _out here."_

She went pink, her eye narrowing, and he swallowed a laugh; she'd always been protective of Alphys, and now that they were finally together, she'd graduated to overprotective, and he found it amusing.

She didn't notice, opening the door slowly and shutting it silently, tiptoeing into the bedroom and to her closet. Undyne could be extremely quiet if she chose to be, and she definitely chose to be, now - especially when her eye fell on Alphys for a moment.

Her wife was still sleeping hard, snoring lightly and still curled up in a ball beneath the blankets and towels she'd been buried beneath.

Undyne found that very comforting, and she was smiling faintly when she finally emerged from the bedroom with the mattress and the blankets.

sans noticed. "is the doc awake?" he wondered, taking the mattress - currently a deflated roll - when she offered it to him.

"Nah," she replied. "She's still out cold, but..." She smiled again. _"She's in_ _my_ _room,_ _sans,"_ she added, her voice a shocked whisper.

"yeah," he agreed, shrugging. "she's your _wife."_

"Yeah, but... she's never been in my room before. It kind of blows me away. I used to want her to be, but never dreamt it would happen, let alone in this context, you know?"

sans blinked up at her. "not really," he admitted. "i don't really dwell on that kinda thing. too much to do."

He paused. "but i understand why it means so much to you," he added, pleasing her. "and i'm happy you're happy, captain. really."

Undyne smiled, though this time it was shy. "I _am_ happy. It's so weird. It... feels weird, sometimes. But..." Her eye flicked to the bedroom door. "I really am happy."

"then go to bed," sans replied with a smirk. "you look like you're gonna pass out. we can talk about serious stuff tomorrow. for now, just sleep."

He paused, again. "if you're gonna do deep-sea diving, make it quiet, wouldya?"

When she threw the rest of the stuff at him and stormed off, he laughed - the hardest laugh he'd made ever since this all began. And it felt good.

* * *

Undyne closed the door behind her quietly, despite her furious blush. She glared at the wall for a moment, then sighed and rolled her eye, smiling faintly. She moved to the closet again, stripping down to nothing but pulling out a robe for when she woke up, tossed it on the doorknob, then went over to her bed and curled under the sheets with Alphys.

It wasn't a large bed, but it was big enough if they stayed close - and Undyne refused to be anything but close at the moment.

When she pulled Alphys to her, Alphys stirred awake, though it was more of a half-awake; her eyes were only half-open, and they were dark.

"Undyne...?" she murmured, her voice thick and a little slurred. "What's going on...?"

Undyne kissed her forehead gently, something that had her eyes closing once more. "sans came by," she whispered. "To check up on us. He's staying the night."

"N-night?" Alphys echoed. "I-is it n-night?"

"Eh," Undyne shrugged, resting her cheek on Alphys's forehead and closing her eye. "Close enough."

"Mm," Alphys replied, and Undyne smiled suddenly: she felt Alphys's tail hook loosely around one of her legs. "You... feel so n-nice..."

"You do, too, but go back to sleep, okay?" Undyne advised gently. "You need to rest."

"Mkay," Alphys agreed, sounding practically there, already. Undyne waited until her breathing became deep and even again, before she relaxed and followed her into sleep.

That night, Undyne didn't have any nightmares, and was grateful for that small mercy, indeed.

* * *

Alphys woke up at some point in the middle of the night, gasping and feeling panicked - especially when she didn't recognise her surroundings. She knew she'd just had a bad dream, but the details seemed to dissolve the more she woke up, and by the time she was fully awake, all that remained of it was her racing heart and her body covered in sweat.

She lay there for a moment, her eyes flicking with blurred vision around her, trying to remember where she was.

When her eyes finally landed on Undyne, who was curled up beside her and holding one of her arms to her chest, she felt that panic finally start to abate, and she swallowed, turning over on her side to look at her, the sight of Undyne - even asleep - comforting her.

She was surprised that she hadn't woken Undyne, but also glad for it, as clearly Undyne needed the sleep, too. Though it was way too soon for her to start experiencing the usual symptoms, Alphys knew from medical school that the first few months were the hardest for someone pregnant.

She then swallowed hard, her eyes flaring wide for a moment, a jolt hitting her stomach and sending it into knots.

 _Pregnant,_ she thought, feeling both wonder and disbelief fill her.

It was still so new that it still shocked her.

 _A daughter,_ she then thought, her heart racing. Since they were both female, their child would be, too, and she found it amazing to think about. _What will she look like? Will she look like Undyne, because she's the dam? Or like something in-between, like the two of us blended together?_

She realised, right then, that no matter what, she'd love their child. She felt it so strongly that it surprised her. She'd never really thought of having children, before - not seriously - as she'd never expected to fall in love. Or, if she did, she certainly never expected it to be returned.

But now, everything was different.

Undyne had married her. She'd learnt all of her horrible secrets, past and present, and stayed at her side. She'd shown her fierce support and unwavering loyalty, and Alphys was stunned by both, feeling both unworthy and immensely touched to have them both.

Alphys smiled faintly, pushing herself closer to Undyne so that their foreheads touched. Undyne didn't stir, so Alphys stayed where she was, closing her eyes, her free hand over her heart.

When she fell asleep again, she was still smiling.

* * *

When Alphys awoke next, she was alone.

Confused, she looked around for a moment, surprised to see the room a lit up a bit, but Undyne was nowhere in sight. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, and suddenly could hear Undyne's voice from outside of the room.

Blinking, she was about to leave with just a blanket around her shoulders - only to pause when she heard sans's voice.

Surprised, she shrugged the blankets off and looked around for a moment, before she found one of Undyne's spare robes. It was big in the arms and shoulders, but luckily not too long that she'd trip over it. She then grabbed her glasses (making a note to replace the broken lenses when she could) and went out of the bedroom, wincing a little from the bright lights.

Both sans and Undyne turned towards her, looking surprised. They were sitting at the table, with tea and empty plates before them, clearly chatting about something. But the moment Alphys walked out, they stopped.

Alphys blushed, unable to find anything to say, as suddenly she felt as if she were intruding, though she didn't quite know why.

She wasn't, though. The two had merely been discussing her, and were both a little spooked by her sudden appearance, as though summoned.

"S-sorry," Alphys said, surprised to find that her voice was still hoarse and raspy. "I-I..."

She backed up to go back into the bedroom, but Undyne stood up and grabbed her hand before she could, smiling at her. The smile disarmed her, and she stopped, looking up at Undyne. She still felt confused, and now she felt embarrassed, too. It was overwhelming.

"Don't be sorry, you nerd," Undyne said. She actually sounded cheerful, and Alphys felt herself relax a little, especially when their palms met and a familiar warmth greeted her. "We were just talking about you."

"Wh-when did you get here, sans?" Alphys wondered, allowing Undyne to gently lead her over to the table. She found she was still a little wobbly, and thus appreciated the support. (She'd forgotten that Undyne had told her he was staying the night.)

"last night," he admitted. "you were passed out when i got here. i came by to make sure you were okay."

Alphys swallowed, looking away for a moment, before she nodded. She didn't know what to say to that, really.

Undyne set a mug of tea in front of her, and she grabbed it, grateful for something to hold onto and sip from. "Are you hungry, Alphy?"

When she shook her head, Undyne frowned and sat down beside her, taking hold of her hand, again. "You're not?"

Alphys repeated the gesture.

Undyne looked over at sans, who said nothing but nodded a little; they'd expected her to lack an appetite, especially after what had happened, both from stress and fear.

Alphys blinked, confused by that, before she remembered what Undyne had said. "W-wait, why were you t-talking about me?" she asked.

"Chill out," Undyne said, touching her cheek and rubbing it gently, noticing that she had gone a little pale. "We were just talking about... what happened. When you... uh..." She looked away.

"were about to die," sans finished, his eyes on Alphys, now. "when that weed skewered you, and you were about to die."

Alphys took a large gulp of her tea to hide her grimace, almost burning her tongue in the process. But she stayed quiet. She didn't want to talk about that, at all, and hoped her silence would make that clear.

Undyne got the message, shooting sans a look, but he ignored her. At that moment, she realised he was about to be mean, and she glared at him, baring her teeth as well and hoping it would be enough to scare him off. But he ignored that, too.

"i know why you did it, doc," sans said, his voice oddly calm. "and to be honest? really honest?"

Undyne leaned forward, about to grab his mug to throw at him--

"you did _exactly_ the right thing."

Alphys's head jerked up in surprise, and Undyne froze, her mouth open a little in surprise. Neither had any idea of what to say, so sans went on, pausing only to sip at his tea.

"the thing is, undyne," he continued, noticing her furious glare. "you're the empress. and you're pregnant."

Alphys went bright red in surprise, her eyes going to Undyne, who nodded shyly; Alphys didn't know til then that she'd told him.

"you did the right thing, because that weed would have killed that spark, even if undyne had survived."

 _"No!"_ Undyne snarled. "No, sans! Listen, that's not _right,_ that's not _fair!"_

Alphys blinked, and sans did, too, confused.

Undyne went pale, one hand at her forehead and leaning on it, the other on her abdomen.

"Look," she said, her voice soft. "I've been thinking about it, and... If... if Flowey had gotten to me first and we'd lost this..."

She gritted her teeth and shut her eye tight. "I... I would have..."

She pulled her hand away from her stomach and grabbed one of Alphys's. "I still would've picked _you,_ Alphy..."

Alphys stared at her - and finally, she understood. She understood what Undyne had meant before, and understood what she meant, now. She felt her stomach clench, but she held Undyne's hand tight, speechless.

"oh," sans said quietly. To their surprise, he sounded regretful. "i... i'm an idiot. of course." He winced. "shit. ah, shit. undyne, i--,"

"No," she murmured. "You don't need to say it."

What no one wanted to voice - yet what they all knew - was that if Undyne had lost the spark that would be their child, if it meant saving Alphys, she would choose Alphys - and lose that spark in exchange.

It wasn't that the child would mean any less than it did, nor would it not hurt them both deeply if they had had to make that choice. Rather, it was the simple matter that Undyne was merely days pregnant, while Alphys had been in her life for far longer - and thus, at this moment, meant more to Undyne. And they could have - and like would have - always tried for another child, again, when they were ready to.

In a harsh decision one had to make in the face of a life-or-death battle, they would have made that one. It didn't make them bad or evil, but rather, it made them realise that, while any lost life is tragic, there were some lines that could be crossed - and never should be even drawn.

In her split-second panic, though - as well as her own low-valued assessment of her life - Alphys had chosen the one choice that could have hurt the most, and caused the most harm.

That was why Undyne had said they'd gotten lucky. And why she had been so enraged with Alphys after the fact: because Alphys had valued her life so low, when it was, for Undyne, irreplaceable.

"Alphy," Undyne whispered, pulling her hand up to her lips and kissing it gently. "I would have destroyed the world."

Alphys jumped in shock, but sans did not.

Instead, he said calmly, "you would've taken back the soul from alphys's dust, right?"

Undyne nodded, her eye blazing. "I can't have that happen ever again, Alphy. If you're gonna be my queen, you need to stay with me. You need to be at my side. And most of all, you need to _stay alive."_

Alphys nodded slowly, though she was weeping silently.

"I'm gonna teach you to fight, so that if we're faced with this kind of danger again, you'll know better than to throw your life away," Undyne concluded. "And when I'm too fat to teach you, Asgore will. And neither of us will stop teaching you until you've managed to floor us both at least once."

Alphys snorted out a shaky laugh at that, the impossibility of that so immense in her eyes that it was truly laughable.

But Undyne wasn't joking - something Alphys would find out far sooner than later.


	42. Addition

While Alphys finally had something to eat (she protested at first, as she had no appetite, but Undyne insisted, so she agreed, but only to please her), they continued their discussion, one that she listened to, but didn't really feel she could add anything to - not really.

"will you be able to come by grillby's today, you think?" sans wondered, holding his mug of tea but not drinking it.

Undyne frowned, thinking about it.

She wanted to, but the fact that Alphys hadn't been hungry - a sign of exhaustion and illness - made her hesitate. She was also skittish, though she was wary to admit that at all. She didn't like the idea of feeling that way here, in the Underground, a place that was supposed to be her home.

"Well," she said softly, looking into her own mug for a moment, though from the corner of her eye, she made sure that Alphys was eating. "I do. I really do. But..." She sighed. "I don't want to push Alphy, yet."

Alphys swallowed the mouthful of food in her mouth right away at that and broke in. "I-I'm fine!" she insisted, staring her wife right in the eye to make that point clear. "I am! I'm fine, really, Undyne!"

Undyne frowned at her, searching her face - and only finding evidence to the contrary. Alphys was still pale, and her eyes were shadowed and dark, and her broken glasses only seemed to add emphasis to this. Coupled with the fact that her hands shook and her movements were slow and slightly laboured, Undyne didn't believe her - not one bit.

Undyne knew Alphys well, now, and knew when she was still uncomfortable or in pain - and this was definitely one of those times.

She narrowed her eye at her, about to say this, when sans broke in. "you say you're fine, right, doc?"

Alphys nodded.

sans glanced at her with his head in his hand, looking wry. "didn't you always use that same word whenever you talked about your work in the lab?"

Alphys felt her face burn, and she glared at him, wishing she could stab his hand with her fork - if she thought it would make a difference at all.

The fact was, though technically she was fine, both Undyne and sans were right - and she hated that. She hated calling attention to herself in this manner, and wanted to move on to forget that this whole thing had happened at all.

For a moment, she struggled to both find the right words to say and not grab the fork, when Undyne suddenly spoke up.

"Hey," she said softly, reaching over and taking Alphys's hand - the one reaching for the fork - into hers, holding it with a gentleness that calmed her down almost immediately. "Alphy, it's okay not to be fine, you know."

Alphys nodded, biting her lip and rubbing Undyne's palm with her thumb. She knew that, especially around Undyne, who would never push her into things she wasn't up to.

"It's n-not like that," she explained. "I-I... okay, I feel pretty lousy, still, I-I won't lie, n-not anymore, okay?"

She glared at sans. "B-but I don't want that to be the reason why we're set back even more than we already are. The-the sooner we talk to everyone, the-the better."

"I agree," Undyne admitted. "But, Alphy, I don't want you to burn out, okay?"

"Wh-what about you?" she shot back, irritation sparking in her suddenly. "You look tired, too. And you're pregnant; you're going to get tired, sooner, especially with time. Are _you_ up to going, yet?"

Undyne blinked at her, then smiled, squeezing her hand and nodding. "Ah," she replied softly. "So that's it, then. You're worried about me, huh?"

Alphys looked down at their hands shyly, nodding. "I-I don't... want you to put yourself at risk, n-not this soon... it's s-so easy, so _common_ , for a new spark of a baby to go out so soon. I... I don't want that..."

"clearly," sans interjected dryly. "considering what happened yesterday."

Alphys gritted her teeth and grabbed her fork, something Undyne had to steal back from her quickly before she lunged for him - something she actually stood up to do.

"Congratulations, sans," Undyne sighed, glaring at him, as well. "You've officially overstayed your welcome."

He snorted, then laughed a little, even though they all knew she wasn't kidding.

"alright," he agreed, getting to his feet. "fair enough. thanks for the grub. will you keep me posted and let me know what's going on?"

He paused, then the smile faded. "i would like to see you two again today."

"We'll text you, alright?" Undyne agreed, her tone softening a little.

sans smiled again, nodded, and with a wink and a wave, left out the front door and was gone.

Alphys sighed and sat back down, dropping her fork and covering her face with her hands, her glasses going up to her forehead. "I'm sorry," she murmured.

"Nah," Undyne replied, rubbing Alphys's arm gently. "It's okay. He really had, and we can see him later, anyway. Besides, I need to talk to you about stuff, and he doesn't need to be here for it."

Alphys lowered her hands. "Stuff like what?" she wondered.

Undyne handed her back the fork. "Eat, please, and I'll tell you."

Alphys took it, but Undyne was serious, and didn't start talking again until Alphys started to eat, again.

"I just wanted to ask you a bunch of shit about this pregnancy thing," she admitted, smiling shyly, and Alphys nodded.

Undyne hesitated a little, still rubbing Alphys's arm slowly, before she began. "Alphy, how likely is it I'll... lose it?"

Alphys swallowed and said, right away, "For you? Not very."

"Why?"

Alphys smiled. "Because you're fit, healthy, and strong. You also have strong magic, in both capacity and capability."

Undyne nodded, looking a little relieved. "But how likely is it that I could miscarry? I mean, what if I overwork myself by accident or use too much magic in one go or something?"

"For someone else," Alphys said between mouthfuls, "that would bring risk to a baby, yes. But like I said, your strength and magic are already so robust; as a doctor, it's easy for me to see you carrying to full term with barely any problems whatsoever."

She paused, looking down. "It's just, as your wife, I'm... I'm a fuss, alright? I'm scared. I know you're capable of taking care of yourself, and even more capable of taking care of yourself while pregnant. I just..." She lowered her head. "Want you to be safe. I want you to be protected. And I want our child to be, too."

Undyne smiled at her. She couldn't help but feel warm at that, even if Alphys was right, and she was worrying over nothing. The fact that Alphys cared so much, despite having this entire thing sprung on her, was what made her warm, and what made her smile.

"So then," Undyne went on. "How long do you think I could train you before I need to quit?"

Alphys sighed. "Again, the doctor in me says that you should be fine to train, as long as you dress with armour over your vital spots and make sure you don't get hurt, but the wife in me says, 'don't even start'."

She closed her eyes. "I'm useless. I'm sorry."

"Hey, no," Undyne answered, shifting her chair closer to put an arm around her shoulders.

Alphys dropped her utensils and leaned into the hug, her arms going around Undyne's neck, her face into her shoulder.

"Oh, Alphy," she whispered, closing her eye and pulling her closer. "Would it make you feel better if I waited until she was born?"

Alphys nodded right away, then winced. "Y-yes, er, no, uhm..." She sighed, one hand absently stroking Undyne's hair. "Ye-no... I..."

Undyne smiled. "Alphy."

"Yes," she finally answered, feeling terrible. "Yes, it would. I know, I'm a selfish ass for this, but yes."

"Alright," Undyne agreed. "Then I'll wait. But, Alphy."

"Hm?" Alphys pulled away a little to look up, as Undyne's tone was a oddly mischievous.

"That just means you're going to start your training with Asgore instead of me, with me looking over you both."

Alphys stared at her, surprised. Then, she smiled, before she started laughing - hard.

The idea of that was both absurd and yet logical, but it still made her laugh. She wasn't sure why, but it did. Undyne grinned, happy to hear that sound, again, and she pulled Alphys back into a tight embrace as she laughed so hard she cried. She knew Undyne was being serious, and yet it still tickled her, the very idea of Asgore even training her, let alone Undyne.

"My life has become so weird," she gasped out, her face still in Undyne's shoulder.

"Yeah, but cool. Admit it," Undyne agreed.

"Yes," she nodded. "Very much." She was so sincere that it was Undyne who laughed, that time.

When she could, Undyne gently pushed Alphys away and gestured to her half-full plate, and when Alphys hesitated, Undyne glowered at her, so she sighed and kept eating.

"I have more to ask," Undyne then admitted. When Alphys smiled, Undyne went on. "For me, how long will this whole thing take, anyway?"

Alphys thought about it as she chewed. "Hm. I think... maybe five months? I'm not certain. I'll have to look it up. Because we technically breed like mammals, but aren't really mammals, plus the differences of species between the two of us, added to the fact that conception was primarily soul- and magic-based, it'll be hard to ascertain an exact amount."

She took a breath and another bite before she continued. "It's convenient that we know exactly when you conceived, which will make the timing incredibly precise. Do you have any idea how long your mother was pregnant?"

Undyne blinked, then blushed a little. "Uh, well," she said. "You know my parents died when I was young, Alphy..."

It was true. Though she had memories of her parents, the older she got, the more they faded. She'd lived most of her life with Shyren's family until she'd gotten her job as Royal Guard.

Alphys did know that; Undyne had told her when they were still getting to know each other. "So you're not sure?" she asked. "Were, uh, your parents the same species?"

Undyne nodded. "Yeah. It really matters, though, that you and I aren't?"

"Semantically, no," Alphys agreed, her words a little muffled by food before she swallowed it. "But biologically, it could, yes."

Undyne paused for a moment, her hand going to her middle and rubbing gently. If she reached inside with her magic, she could still feel that faint pulse within, and it amazed her. She lowered her gaze, suddenly feeling rather overwhelmed.

"Alphy," she murmured.

"Mm?"

"I'm pregnant, Alphy. It's so... fucking weird."

Alphys paused, then turned to her, smiling a little. "Is it? Is it a bad weird?"

Undyne thought about it, her gaze still lowered. "When I was younger, I always used to think kids were a dumb idea. I mean, I liked them okay, and they were sometimes neat and interesting, but they seemed to take way more than they gave, and I thought, especially with how things were so crowded down here, that people who had them were nuts. I'd think, _Why would you bother? Why would you even want them?_ "

She looked up and into Alphys's eyes, the colour of her eye so bright it was mesmerising. "Then I picture _our_ kid and I... feel giddy and stupid, and I get it. I totally get it, now."

Alphys smiled wider and reached down to cover Undyne's hand with her own, and Undyne smiled brightly, though her eye wavered.

"Alphy," she whispered. "Are we... are we gonna be able to do this?"

"Yes," Alphys answered right away, nodding.

"How can you be so sure about something like this?" Undyne demanded.

Alphys touched Undyne's cheek with her other hand, and again Undyne's eye wavered. "Because, Undyne: we love each other, and we're going to love our child. And along the way, we're going to work with that love - and our determination - to make this world perfect for her."

Undyne stared at her, her eye filling with tears, suddenly. "Alphy," she whispered. "God. I love you so much."

Alphys leaned forward and pressed her forehead to Undyne's, and they both closed their eyes. "I love you, Undyne," she whispered back. "This is going to be hard work - all of it - but I know that the two of us are more than ready for it. And I know we'll never let each other down, ever."

"You're right," Undyne agreed, her tears running free down her cheeks, now. "Never. I'm never gonna let you go, either."

"Good," Alphys admitted, her voice choking up. "I don't want to be let go. Ever."

"Alphy," Undyne said again, though her voice was a little different. When Alphys nodded, she hesitated, then asked, "We... we can still have sex, right?"

Alphys snorted, then burst into laughter, the laughs catching her off-guard and rendering her both speechless and breathless for a moment.

Undyne blushed, but added, "I'm serious!" which only made things worse, really.

But then, when she could, Alphys reached up and cupped Undyne's face into her hands, before kissing her, first softly, then lingering, before she pressed closer and deepened it. Undyne grabbed her as soon as she did, pulling her not only out of the chair but into her arms, finding that to be the perfect answer, indeed.


	43. Gentle (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW smut chapter! It's a sweet one, pure fluff, but still smut. And probably the last one in this story. So you can skip, or otherwise, enjoy! :3

The moment Undyne had Alphys on her bed, Alphys couldn't help it: she started giggling.

Undyne was hovering over her, propped up on her hands, and had just leaned down to kiss her when she started, and she stopped, instead sighing in frustration.

"Alphy," she muttered, and Alphys covered her mouth and tried to stop, but couldn't. "Why the hell are you laughing?"

"I-I'm--," she coughed, trying to stop, but still was tickled with them. "It-it's n-not a bad thing! I promise! It's just..."

She pulled her glasses off and put them on Undyne's nightstand, before she covered her face with her arms and dissolved into more giggles, this time harder.

Undyne growled, leaning down and trying to nudge those arms away with her forehead, before she gave up and sat up, using her hands, instead. Alphys was crying by then, her face red and her smile huge, her sides hurting from it.

 _"Alphy!"_ Undyne protested, feeling suddenly embarrassed; what could possibly be so funny?

"S-sorry!" Alphys gasped out, reaching up to hug Undyne around her neck - and Undyne then noticed that her tail was thumping happily, something she couldn't help but smile from. "I'm j-just... i-in your bed!"

"Yeah," Undyne agreed flatly, looking down at her with an eyebrow raised. "You have been for a while, now, you nerd."

"O-okay, b-but..." Alphys looked up at her, her expression a mix of mirth... and adoration, Undyne realised, something made clear when Alphys touched one of her cheeks and trailed her fingertips over it slowly. "N-not in th-this context..."

Undyne smiled finally, though she went a little red. "Hey, uh..." she murmured. "You... you're feeling okay, enough, for this, right? I-I mean, if you're too tired, or too weak, still..."

Alphys moved a finger to her lips, silencing her. "Undyne," she said, her voice soft. "I-I _need_ this. So much."

Her smile faded, and her eyes wavered, swallowing a lump in her throat. "Just... we can go slow, and it'll be f-fine, b-but... I... I..."

Undyne leaned away from her finger and cut her off with a kiss. Alphys made a deep sound in her throat at that, more akin to a purr than anything else, and her arms went tighter around Undyne's neck, returning the kiss and even adding to it, something that had Undyne shivering from.

She couldn't help it; not only was it her body's default reaction, but after what they'd just been through, being able to do this at all struck something deep within her, and she realised, suddenly, just how precious this was.

To even hold Alphys, let alone kiss her. To be able to hear her sounds, feel her caresses, taste her lips...

She'd come so close to losing that, all over again, and it made her shiver because it had happened so fast, and without any warning.

And she didn't want that to ever happen again. Once was enough, but twice was her limit.

 _Never again,_ she thought, pushing Alphys gently onto her back and pressing her body along hers, sliding her tongue between Alphys's lips and making her purr again. That sound sent her heart racing, and she wrapped her arms around Alphys tight, keeping them around her waist. Alphys shifted a little, her hands reaching up to loosen Undyne's hair, something that had Undyne making a soft sound to, and when their tongues met, Alphys had her hair loose and her legs hooked around Undyne's waist, her tail curling around one of her shins to accompany this.

"Alphy," Undyne whispered against her lips, her nails digging into her hips a little. "You... you're..."

"Mm..." Alphys answered, her voice thick. Her eyes were closed, and she was smiling, her fingers threading through Undyne's hair slowly. She shifted her hips a little, pushing them up against Undyne's, and Undyne of course did the same, something that had them both gasping a little from.

"W-wait," Undyne said, pulling away from their kiss a little reluctantly, though she kept close.

Alphys simply trailed her lips down along her jaw and towards her neck, leaving light kisses along the way - as well as sometimes the tip of her tongue.

Undyne's breathing went a little short, but she went on, anyway. "Alphy, you need to know... I need to tell you something..."

"Anything," Alphys replied, her nose gently nuzzling the curve of her neck, which made her shiver, again, but for a completely different reason, this time.

"Alphy," Undyne murmured, her heart racing. She closed her eye and buried her face into Alphys's shoulder, holding her tight. "You... you're my whole world, okay?"

Alphys suddenly paused, which made thinking easier for Undyne. "You fill it, you make it spin, you make it colourful, and most of all, you make it complete."

Alphys was silent, though suddenly, Undyne could feel her start to tremble, and she looked down at her worriedly. "Are you okay?"

Alphys stared at her, biting down hard on her lip, her eyes bright with tears and wide. She nodded slowly, but when she blinked, more tears replaced the ones that slid down her cheeks, and her breaths were shaky.

Undyne could tell she wanted to say so much, but realised quite obviously that she didn't even have to - because Undyne already knew. She smiled at her kindly, and Alphys closed her eyes, her hands tightening in her hair a little in order to pull her back down to her for another kiss on her lips, something that Undyne very happily granted - and deepened.

Undyne then reached down and untied the front of Alphys's borrowed robe, pushing it apart and slipping one hand beneath it, cupping one of her breasts gently. Alphys squirmed a little, her breath catching for a moment, something that Undyne really liked, honestly. There was something about the way Alphys reacted to her actions, the way she made it seem like, no matter how often they did this, it was new each time, that made Undyne feel that her actions themselves meant more. Alphys slipped her hands down and did the same for Undyne, though admittedly her moves were a little shaky in her eagerness, something that had Undyne smiling a little.

Alphys tried to then pull the robe off, but got it tangled in Undyne's hands, who was trying to do the same for her. They both laughed for a moment, then Undyne sat up and shrugged her robe off and to the floor, while Alphys moved out of hers and left it beneath her.

Immediately, Alphys reached up and pulled Undyne back down to her, closing her eyes and wrapping both her arms and legs around her tight - something that would have made Undyne laugh again, but the feeling of Alphys against her, skin-to-skin, was too much, and she clung back in return, burying her face into Alphys's shoulder.

For a moment, they remained that way, just breathing together and enjoying the fact that they were together - still together - despite it all.

Then, Undyne pulled her face away and looked down at Alphys, who was already looking up at her with a shy smile. Undyne swallowed hard, then kissed her again, one hand moving between them and trailing down Alphys's stomach to between her legs. Alphys shifted a little, returning the kiss, her claws digging into her back a little, and gently, Undyne slipped her fingers between her legs, reaching up and stroking her folds slowly, a small flutter hitting her stomach when she felt how wet Alphys already was.

Alphys made a soft sound, her own hand moving between Undyne's legs to touch her, but Undyne shifted back, which confused her into pulling away from the kiss and look up at her.

"Undyne...?" she murmured.

Undyne grinned, then moved down and parted Alphys's legs further, moving herself between them and kneeling down. Alphys blushed, about to say something more, but Undyne moved in and pulled her hand away, replacing her fingers with first her lips, then her tongue. Alphys exhaled shakily, leaning back and closing her eyes, one hand going into Undyne's hair, the other clutching the bed beneath her hard.

"Undyne..." she repeated, only this time her voice was a whisper, one that sent chills through Undyne.

She licked slowly, first just along Alphys's folds, enjoying the feel of her beneath her lips and tongue, before she pushed her tongue between them and licked slowly upwards towards her clit. She felt Alphys squirm, again, and she smiled faintly, pushing closer, her hands on Alphys's knees tight, her tongue now circling around the nub of her clit slowly.

Alphys whispered out her name, something Undyne decided to take as a challenge, and as she licked carefully along her wife's clit, she slipped one hand back down and very gently pushed one finger deep within her.

Alphys immediately arched back with a cry, tugging at Undyne's hair a little, but that didn't deter her - not even close. She crooked her finger up and rubbed slowly, keeping her tongue moving at a similar pace, and soon, Alphys was panting, her body flashing hotter and hotter the longer she went on.

"Un-Undyne..." she growled out between her teeth, her eyes squeezed closed and her heels digging into the bed, her body moving along with Undyne's every move, every lick and thrust. "I'm... keep... I-I..."

She then couldn't form any words, instead replacing them with cries, ones that became louder and louder the closer she got.

Undyne was grinning by then, not once varying her speed, and soon, Alphys arched back and cried out a broken version of her name, coming fast, true - but also  _hard._

Undyne pushed closer, pulling her finger away to lick closely in order to both taste it and make sure it lingered, and Alphys moaned, gasping for breath and collapsing. With a gentle kiss, Undyne then pulled away and sat up, something that Alphys barely noticed, still lost in the feeling and loving it.

Undyne moved to lie down beside her, but suddenly, Alphys's eyes snapped open and met hers, surprising her, but it was the only warning she got before she was grabbed and pulled back atop of Alphys, hard.

 _"More,"_ Alphys pleaded, sending a spike of lust into Undyne, and of course she, too, agreed, wanting more - so much more. She pressed her body against Alphys's, still feeling it warm and sweaty, but when they kissed, nothing else mattered, really.

"Please," Alphys begged between kisses, holding Undyne's face in her hands. "Please, Undyne, _please..."_

"You don't have to beg," Undyne replied gently, shifting herself closer and adjusting their legs a little.

Alphys bit her lip, clearly about to once more, and Undyne smiled gently, leaning down and kissing her neck, at the same time pushing herself close to Alphys, sighing deeply when their flesh touched.

Alphys closed her eyes and clung to Undyne tight, her head tilting back, and for a moment, they didn't move. Undyne raised her head and pressed her cheek against Alphys's, and Alphys nuzzled her gently, exhaling slowly another shaky breath.

Then, Undyne angled her hips and started to move slowly, something Alphys immediately reacted to, practically melting beneath her but still holding onto her tight, so they stayed close.

They kept it slow, not just for the sake of Alphys, but also to draw it out, to relish in the feelings and enjoy them to their fullest.

Not a word was spoken between them during this time, though Alphys did open her eyes and reach up to hold Undyne's face between her hands, brushing her hair from both her face and her eyes and smiling brightly. Undyne almost moved her head so that her left eye was covered again, but the look on Alphys's face stopped her. Alphys noticed, and she leaned up and kissed Undyne, right below her empty left eye, a lingering kiss that spoke so much without any words. Undyne sobbed softly, pushing her back down in order to press as close to her as possible, capturing her lips again in order to convey her gratitude in a kiss.

For what felt like forever - and yet even then, perhaps not long enough - they kept it slow, they kept it tender, drawing it out in such a way that they both felt near-delirious by the time they were both close. It was something that they would never forget, especially Undyne, who made sure to burn every single second to her memory, still painfully aware of just how much she'd almost lost.

When they were feeling close, they both broke from the kiss to just look at each other, to stare into the other's eyes and see the feelings they kept bare within, still in that silence that spoke louder than even the loudest of words.

When Alphys's claws bit into Undyne's back, Undyne gritted her teeth and moved a little harder, her eye squeezing closed and her breaths growing short. When she heard Alphys say her name, her voice desperate and choked, Undyne responded with hers, before kissing her again, something Alphys returned almost greedily.

Slowly, their shared orgasm crept up on them, like a warm wave over their bodies, and they both cried out from it, their cries soft but no less intense, the pleasure no less incredible. They clung to each other, not wanting to let go even for a second, even when it started to slowly fade - though it took its time, something they both felt and loved.

But when it did fade, Alphys's head dropped back down to the pillows beneath her, her eyes closed and her body relaxing, her hands loosening their hold.

Undyne felt similar, her eye closing on its own and her breaths catching a little, and when she was certain Alphys was alright, she curled up atop her so that they were both comfortable, and followed her in that deep, satisfied slumber, the lingering pleasure more soothing upon them than any blanket could ever be.


	44. Support

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More fluff!

The chime of Undyne's phone was the unfortunate reminder that there were other people in the world other than herself and Alphys - annoyingly enough.

It took longer than usual, this was true, as she was exhausted and had to take a few moments to remember where she even was, let alone where her phone was.

When she realised that not only was she in her own home, but her phone was on the floor, it made things a little easier. She hesitated before she grabbed it, instead taking a moment to curl up against Alphys, resting her cheek against her wife's chest and closing her eye, listening to her heartbeat and feeling deep comfort from it.

Alphys hadn't even stirred when the sound went off, nor did she when Undyne woke up and started moving around; while Undyne was exhausted, Alphys was _beat._

Undyne's eye opened a little, her hand reaching up to touch Alphys's chest softly, her fingertips trailing over the scars now patterned, there.

Undyne wasn't a stranger to scars, having many, herself. She saw them as signs of strength, of growth and of getting back up again after being thrown down.

But to see them on her wife, to see them looking both new and old on skin previously unmarked, really hurt Undyne.

They didn't make Alphys ugly to her - it wasn't like that at all. Rather, they hurt Undyne because she didn't like that Alphys had them, at all. For her, she would rather Alphys never have any scars, if it meant that she was safe and never got hurt.

But she did get hurt. Twice, now. And she would bear the proof of those attacks for life.

Undyne looked up at Alphys for a moment, taking in her face, instead, and saw that even in sleep, she looked content, despite everything that had happened.

Alphys always had a specific look on her face after they made love, one that Undyne adored, and she smiled, resting her cheek back on her chest for a moment to just look at her and enjoy it. It was almost like a smile, but one so relaxed that it was easy to miss, and her face itself was so relaxed that she looked her cutest, really.

Undyne could spend hours just staring at her.

Then, her phone chimed again, and she scowled, leaning down to the side and grabbing it before it could go off yet again and wake Alphys. She then curled back up and glared at her phone. Both texts were from sans:

_"i wasn't kidding when i said i wanted to hang out later today, captain. can we do dinner or somethin?"_

_"can you please stop doing the doctor for five damn seconds and just answer me yes or no?"_

Undyne didn't want to admit it, but the last text made her snort a little. _"Your tact is always perfect, ass,"_ she replied, before turning her phone's alarms to silent. _"I know you were serious. Give me a damned break. My wife almost died."_

There was a pause before he replied. _"you gonna use that excuse every time you're doing the doctor and are feelin lazy?"_

Undyne laughed softly. She had to admit, it was an appropriate answer for what could have been rather manipulative on her part.

_"Okay, okay, stop saying that, could ya?! I know you were serious! We just needed some time to ourselves, okay? To talk about... thing."_

Another pause. _"i'm alone, captain. you can say knocked up."_

 _"Why are you alone?"_ Undyne answered, hoping to avoid further questioning about her pregnancy. She wasn't embarrassed, per se, but rather, felt it was personal, a topic between herself and Alphys, especially this early. It didn't need to be anyone else's business right now, though she knew - especially now - it soon would be.

 _"because there's no captain to rally the troops,"_ was his reply.

Undyne rubbed her eye for a moment, sighing. There had to be more to it than that, and she didn't think it was sans's usual laziness, either. If what he'd admitted the day before was true, he was lonely, and his usual sarcasm was meant to deflect everyone from finding out that fact.

Plus, she wasn't even captain anymore, no matter how many times everyone called her that.

 _"sans,"_ she texted, frowning. _"What's the real reason? No more bullshit, okay?"_

_"alright. i hate you for this, but i'm alone because i need to be right now. i'm depressed. and i really would like you to bring everyone together, again, so that i can feel some kind of normalcy. i almost had it yesterday, but it was nothing without you and alphys. so please, let's have dinner at grillby's, okay?"_

Undyne sighed, then nodded. _"Okay. I'll text everyone and get their asses in those stools for 7. Good?"_

_"perfect. thanks."_

Undyne smiled and dropped the phone back to the floor, noticing that it was almost five, so she could still have some nice cuddle time with Alphys while she slept - something Alphys definitely slept through, though again, her expression was that sweet, cute one that Undyne still adored.

She dozed off for a bit, woken up only when Alphys suddenly stirred and reached for her. Undyne looked up, noticing that Alphys looked a little worried, and judging by how tight she took hold of Undyne, it was genuine. Her eyes opened slowly, and while they were a little bloodshot, they focused on Undyne clearly. The moment they did, she relaxed and smiled, her eyes closing again briefly in relief.

"Undyne," she whispered, leaning down and kissing the top of her head.

Undyne swallowed hard, the gesture and reaction cutting deep within her, and she reached up and kissed her, right on her lips, holding her face between her hands. Alphys blinked in surprise, her hands freezing, before Undyne pressed closer, straddling her, and those eyes darkened before they closed, a small sound coming from her, her hands holding tight, again.

"Alphy," Undyne whispered against her lips, reaching down with one hand between them, and Alphys pulled her closer, nodding.

But it was all Undyne could think of to say: her name, that wonderful name that she loved to say, would never tire of saying, no matter what the context. And when their bodies again pressed close, there was nothing else she could think of but that name - and the one who owned it.

* * *

After, Alphys was in a haze, both post-coital and purely Undyne. She was grinning, her eyes closed and her breaths short, holding Undyne as close to her as possible. Undyne's face was buried in her shoulder, her whole body hugging onto her in a way that they both knew Alphys adored. It was a delightful way to wake up, really, especially when she remembered - again - that she was in Undyne's room, in her house, and that she wasn't dreaming any of this.

"Undyne," she whispered. When Undyne nodded, she said, "I love you so much. Please... n-never... n-never l-leave me--,"

Undyne's hand shot up and covered her mouth almost before she could finish. Alphys jumped in surprise, but when Undyne raised her head and glared at her, she blushed, suddenly embarrassed.

"The day I leave you," Undyne snarled, though her voice was soft. "Is the day I _die._ That's the _only_ way I'm leaving you. I will never, _ever_ leave you. Now that you're with me, _nothing_ will keep me from you. Do you understand me?"

Alphys closed her eyes and sniffled, nodding. She started to cry, but not because she was offended or hurt. She reached up and grabbed onto Undyne, hugging onto her tight and squeezing a laugh from her.

"Good," Alphys cried. _"Good!"_

Undyne gave her a moment, then when she could, she said, "Hey, up for Grillby's? For real, this time?"

Alphys nodded. "Y-yes," she agreed.

Undyne grinned at her, then slid off the bed and stood beside it. Alphys blinked, sitting up, but before she could do the same, Undyne scooped her up and into her arms, making her laugh - laughter than didn't stop, even when they were in the shower, together.

* * *

They took the ferry to Snowdin, both for speed as well as for the simple fact that neither were ready to walk the way there, just yet - especially since they'd have to walk by where Papyrus had died. By taking the ferry, they'd avoid all of that.

However, the moment the ferry pulled into Snowdin, they were surprised by the sight that greeted them: people. Lots and lots of people. Waiting for them eagerly.

It was strange, because both were, like they had been since they got to the Underground, wearing casual clothes. So they were not only unprepared for this reception, but felt rather under-dressed for it, too.

"Uh," Undyne said softly. "We're just here for dinner, guys."

Alphys was hiding her face behind Undyne's shoulder, blushing. "Undyne," she whispered. "I-I-I d-don't think I c-can t-take it..."

Undyne heard her and took her words very seriously. She narrowed her eye and stood up, wrapping her arm around her wife tight.

"Look," she said, raising her voice. "I adore all of you and you're awesome, but right now, Alphy and I are just here for some food and some company, okay? So can you just... move, please?" She waved her hand to make this point even clearer.

To their credit, there were collective blushes and coughs of embarrassment, before they did just that, parting a decent amount in order to let them pass. Alphys kept hiding, but Undyne tried to smile as kindly as possible to those she saw, though inside she longed for grease and cheese. They walked quickly, and couldn't help but notice they were being followed, regardless.

Luckily, the moment they reached the place, the crowd backed off and left them alone - especially when it was sans who opened the door for them.

"hey, captain, hey, doc," he said, his eyes on the people behind them. "come on in." They did, and sans glared for a moment before he shut the door behind them.

Inside, it was quiet. There weren't very many people in the place, and it was clear that the reason for that was Grillby, himself; the moment the door opened, he looked up and actually set the cup and rag he was holding down, slowly making his way from behind the bar, until he saw who it was.

Then, he nodded and returned to his place, his eyes crinkling up a little behind his glasses - the closest thing to a smile that he could make.

Undyne was about to greet him when she was suddenly squished between two giants, something that had Alphys jump back and bump into sans over (sans grabbed her before she could stumble, and she was grateful).

"Ah!" Undyne growled, especially when she was hugged tight. "Get off of me, you stupid oafs!"

"Never!" Timothy answered, and beside him, George nodded. "You're, like, way too important to just let go of!"

Undyne glared for a moment, then smirked, wrapped her arms around them both, and lifted them off of their feet, causing them both to squawk and squirm, their arms and legs waving wildly in the air in protest.

"Augh!" Timothy cried. "You win, Captain! I'm too delicate for this!"

With a laugh, Undyne dropped them both, and George helped Timothy to his feet with a soft chuckle, something Timothy blushed from but didn't refuse.

Alphys blinked and moved closer to Undyne, sensing that now the coast was clear, and immediately she caught their attention, something that had _her_ blushing, this time.

"Like, Doc!" Timothy cried, grabbing one of her hands tight."It's so amazing to finally, like, meet you! I mean, without armour and stuff!"

George smiled at her, but was kind enough not to grab her hand, clearly a shy person sensing another shy person and recognising those boundaries - unlike Timothy. 

"Er--," Alphys tried to reply.

"I mean, I feel like I already know you so well already, like, with how often the Captain always talked about you!" He went on, grinning so wide it looked almost like it hurt.

Behind him, Undyne went red.

"She would always go on and on and on and on about how cute you were, and about how if we didn't protect you good, she'd make us eat our armour, and--,"

"Hey!" Undyne snarled, shoving him aside and shooting him a glare - something he immediately balked at. "Could you _not?!"_

sans was hunched over, holding his sides and laughing so hard that no sound came out.

"Like, but, anyway!" Timothy hastily added, scratching at the back of his head. "Before we do anything, I need you to know, Captain: we're in! We're _so_ in!"

Undyne froze, her expression fading to one of shock, and she paled.

Alphys likewise stared up at him, then looked over at George, who was nodding, looking quite pleased, himself.

"What?" she said, her voice soft.

"We're in," he repeated, sounding more serious, this time. "We wanna go to the surface. We wanna help you in any way we can. You're, like, the Empress now. We wanna help you, okay?"

Undyne opened her mouth, but to everyone's surprise, George broke in, his voice low and soft, but no less commanding of attention. "We know the risks," he said. "We do. And we accept them. We just..." He exchanged a look with Timothy, one that had surprising depth to it, before he went on. "We just want to keep protecting you Cap--no, Empress. Protecting you _both."_

Undyne bit her lip, trying very hard not to cry. She knew that if she did, it would likely make her look weak in front of them, and that was the last thing she needed right now. She bit down, hard, but she knew if she spoke, she would cry. She reached out and grabbed Alphys's hand tight, and Alphys looked up at her for a moment, before she nodded.

"Yes," she said softly, something Undyne nodded along with fiercely. "Please, we'd love your company. Thank you."

The two immediately lit up, grabbing Undyne into another fierce hug, one she was able to laugh at - and thus pass her tears off as laughter for the moment - until she managed to grab them up again and make them protest, something that made her laugh for real.

"well, now that _that's_ over with," sans said, sounding cheerful. "can we please eat? i'm starving."

It was a good idea.


	45. Closure

Dinner was wonderful. It was fun, it was silly, and it was familiar. There were others there, the usual suspects of Grillby's that would always hang out at the place almost all day except to sleep. The sight of them was soothing to Undyne, especially, as it allowed her the illusion that things were actually like they had been before.

But it didn't last.

When she allowed her eye to fall over the whole place, she noticed the missing people, the ones who _should_ have been there.

And when she felt that stab of pain, she couldn't help but grab Alphys's hand into her own and hold it tight. Alphys always understood, and never called attention to it, instead holding her hand between her own in her lap without pause. She was so grateful to her, and had no idea how she'd fare without her, in so many ways.

There was one moment that had her slightly panicked, and that was when Timothy called attention to Undyne's lack of drinking.

Undyne wasn't one who drank often, but she did like the occasional drink, especially when celebrating, and this was certainly one of those times.

When George quietly ordered everyone a round of her favourite and she didn't touch it, it was Timothy who noticed.

"Hey, like, Captain," he said, peering at her and blinking with his wide, bright eyes - eyes that were never usually seen beneath his armour. "I thought you liked that stuff?"

Undyne blushed, looking at him as though he'd asked her to flash him. "Uh," she said helpfully. "Uh... I do... I just... uh..."

Alphys noticed and also blushed, but she hurriedly jumped it. "I think, er, right n-now, we sh-should keep our heads clear, j-just in case we n-need to say something im-important," she said nervously. "It-it's why I'm al-also not drinking! We-we also d-don't want to have a hangover f-for tomorrow."

"What's tomorrow?" George asked, sipping his drink and pausing to let off a puff of smoke that it gave him (dragons and alcohol tend to have that effect).

Undyne stared at him, her mouth tiny and her face pale, so again Alphys jumped in. "Tomorrow is o-our last day here," she said honestly. "We-we'll be concluding the t-tour wi-with the Ruins..."

"if i may," sans said suddenly, looking over at them both. "i think you _shouldn't_ go to the ruins."

Undyne looked over at him, glad to have a distraction. "Why not?" she asked.

sans shrugged. "the ruins were hit first - and hardest, really. i don't think you should go there. at all. it's probably just better if you let them have their own privacy, their own time to grieve."

Alphys blushed in embarrassment. She hadn't thought of that, and felt ashamed for it. "You-you're right, of course you're right," she agreed.

Undyne, however, eyed him closely. She could tell he was telling the truth, yes. But she could also tell that he was keeping something back, and she didn't like that.

sans met her gaze and merely sipped his drink in reply to it, giving away nothing, save that he knew _she_ knew he was holding back. She hated it when he did that, but she also knew it would come to nothing, and he'd never tell her, no matter how much she asked - or threatened.

So, she just let it go. She decided to buy his crap, and let it go. There were more important things, anyway.

Like her own closure.

"So, like," Timothy said, his words a little slurred, now; he'd helped himself to both Alphys and Undyne's drinks as well as his own. "Are ya gonna stay here the night, like, too, like?"

Alphys blinked in surprise, then looked at Undyne, her face lighting up. She'd never stayed in the inn before, and would love the chance. Undyne saw that expression and laughed, reaching over and touching her cheek affectionately.

"Yeah," she agreed, and Alphys's eyes lit up even more. "We'll stay. It'll be fun."

Alphys squirmed a little in her stool, excited, and Undyne laughed again, leaning forward and kissing her, just a soft kiss on her lips.

But it caught everyone's attention - save sans, that is. They stared at them both in surprise, and when they finally noticed, Alphys blushed and lowered her head, and Undyne blinked and looked up.

"Why the hell are you staring at me like that?" she demanded.

"Uh," George said, his voice even softer than usual. He was smiling brightly, though. "It's just... you two."

"What about us?" Undyne answered, baring her teeth.

"Like, chill out, please," Timothy answered, rolling his eyes. "It's, like, nothing bad or whatever. We just totally remember how you'd always talk about Alphys and how much you liked her and how much you wished you were with her and--,"

"And shut up," Undyne broke in, her voice sharp. "That's an order."

Alphys was smiling, though, her face a mix of pleasant surprise and affection. She reached up and gently brushed an errant strand of Undyne's hair from her forehead and behind her ear, and Undyne smiled at her faintly, despite the fact that she was blushing.

Even though Timothy did shut up, as he always obeyed his Captain's orders, George did not. He was smiling, and in a soft, almost wistful way.

"Seeing you together," he said. "It's wonderful. It makes one realise that life is short, life can both sneak up on you as well as just run away from you."

From how much he was speaking, he had clearly also had quite a bit to drink.

His eyes moved to Timothy, who noticed and blinked in surprise. "And how even the most important people in your life mean so much more than you allow yourself to show."

"Uh, bro, uh, like..." Timothy stammered, his face bright red, now. His hands fidgeted with his empty glass, one Grillby filled almost immediately with a quirk to his eyebrows. "Uh, why're you looking at me like that, bro, I mean, it's not bad, but it's totally _nice,_ and it's also like--,"

"Timothy," George said softly, reaching over and covering one of his hands with his own. "Can we go outside and talk for a second?"

Timothy's eyes lit up, despite the look of both panic and glee on his face. "Yeah! Yeah, totally, please, bro, that would be so cool, let's go, let's just go!"

He got to his feet and staggered a bit, but George smiled and grabbed hold of him, which produced a great deal of nonsense syllables from him, mixed with "bro" and "totally". But he didn't let go of George, nor did George let go of him, and they walked a little wobbly out the door to have that talk.

"Fucking finally," Undyne sighed, grinning after them.

Alphys was also smiling, her hand on her chest. She'd had no idea they were in love until just that moment, and she felt silly for not seeing it, sooner.

But it was... so nice to see, really. A reminder that life really did go on, despite the losses.

 _And that's the point, isn't it?_ she thought suddenly. _That's the whole point. The loss could have destroyed us. It could have made us hide in fear, made us cower, made us never want to go forth or do anything ever again. It could have made us never want to even break the barrier, despite finally having the means to do so._

_But it didn't. We're still strong. We're hurt, but we're going to use that to make us stronger. We're in pain, but not enough to stop living. We'll always live with that pain, but it will remind us that it took much to get us here, not that we need to hide._

"Alphy?" Undyne's voice broke her from her thoughts. "Are you okay, sweetie?"

"Huh?" she stammered. "Y-yes, of course!"

Undyne leaned close and reached up with both hands, and to Alphys's surprise, she brushed tears from her cheeks, tears she hadn't even known she'd shed.

"Are you?" she wondered, looking worried. "You're crying, Alphy."

"S-sorry," Alphys murmured, closing her eyes.

She focused on Undyne's hands, loving the feel of them against her cheeks, loving the care and tenderness that Undyne showed in such a simple gesture. It warmed her heart, made her feel so happy, that she couldn't help it: more tears welled up in her eyes, and she laughed shakily.

"I'm sorry!" she repeated, smiling helplessly.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Undyne asked again, starting to worry for real, now.

But she didn't need to, as Alphys suddenly leaned close and hugged her tight, laughing shakily.

"Nothing," she admitted at last. "I'm..." She swallowed a sob, one that sounded like a hiccup as a result. "I'm so... _I'm so fucking happy, Undyne!"_

Undyne burst into laughter at that, holding Alphys tight.

sans even snickered, finding it amusing, as well. "couldn't of put it better myself," he admitted.

"sans," Undyne then said, turning to him with Alphys still in her arms.

Alphys hesitated, then shrugged and crawled into her lap, something that delighted Undyne and had her holding onto her close, resting her cheek on the top of her head.

"Are... tomorrow, do you think we could talk about...?" Undyne added.

sans looked at her seriously, then, his eyes dim. He nodded. "yeah," he agreed. "we can talk about it, tomorrow." He then eyed her closely. "you okay? you look a little..." He raised a hand and waved it a little.

Undyne nodded. "Yeah. I'm starting to feel it," she admitted. "I think we should get going."

Grillby, she noticed, looked over at her curiously, his eyebrows going up, but she simply glared at him, as if he, too, had asked her to flash him, and he shrugged.

Alphys looked up at Undyne and smiled through her tears. "To the inn?" she wondered excitedly.

When Undyne nodded, she laughed again, the sound a soothing balm to Undyne's hurts.

She wondered if Alphys would always have that effect on her. She hoped so.

She looked forward to spending her life finding out.

* * *

"E-E-Empress Undyne!" the owner of the inn stammered, her eyes going wide and her hands going to her mouth. "And Q-Q-Queen Alphys! I-I-I--!"

"Hey," Undyne said softly. "Relax. Just Undyne and Alphys, tonight, okay? How much for a room?"

"Free!" the innkeeper cried, tears coming to her eyes, despite her sudden smile. "Free, forever!"

"Bullshit," Undyne answered. "How much? Don't make me beg. I'm not a cheapskate."

"Eighty gold!" piped in her child beside her, hopping up to make their voice heard.

"Sweet," Undyne grinned at them and opened her wallet, handing the innkeeper one hundred. "For your trouble, okay?"

The innkeeper was both speechless and now in real tears, and silently she gestured upstairs, her hand shaking.

Alphys smiled at her, and together, she and Undyne went up them, holding hands the whole time.

Once they were settled in and lying down together in a curled-up ball, Alphys whispered, "Do you think we made her day?"

Undyne chuckled. "I think we made her _decade,"_ she replied.

Alphys was quiet, then, slipping closer to Undyne. When her hand trailed over Undyne's side, lingering over the curve of her hip, Undyne opened her eye and looked at her in surprise.

In the dim light, Alphys was blushing, but her eyes were bright and on hers. "C-can we...?" she wondered softly. "If-if we're... quiet?"

Undyne stared at her, grinning. "You imagined this, too, didn't you?" she accused - proven right when Alphys pulled away and hid under the sheets. "Alphy!"

"Merph."

"Guess what, Alphy?" Undyne leaned down and buried herself under the sheets with her, grinning. When Alphys shrugged, she leaned in close and whispered, "Me, too."

Alphys lit up, then reached for her, pulling her into a kiss before she could even add anything else - save a muffled laugh.

* * *

"Thank you so much!" the innkeeper said as her greeting, her hands still under her chin as though they'd never left from the day before. "Thank you so much for choosing my little inn!"

Both Alphys and Undyne shared a similar grin, looking quite relaxed and happy, their arms around each other.

"Thank _you,"_ Undyne replied slyly. "I do hope you'll think about opening one of these on the surface, one day. It'd be really great if you could."

"Oh!" The innkeeper covered her mouth in surprise, looking thrilled and happy, but again speechless, and both Undyne and Alphys smiled at her, then at her child, before they left.

The moment they did, they laughed, holding onto each other to keep from falling.

"Do-do you think she knew?" Alphys asked, when she could.

"If she did, she would never likely say," Undyne replied, before grabbing hold of her and picking her up in her arms, hugging her tight. Alphys giggled and returned it happily.

It was then that they realised that, for once, there was no crowd. It was nice to see, but also a little odd, as they'd made it no secret that they'd be staying at the inn overnight.

The reason, however, became quite clear, once they saw that sans was standing against the wall of the inn, clearly waiting for them.

When he saw their faces, he sighed, looking as if he were suffering deeply.

"really," he muttered. "the inn, too?"

"Shut up," Undyne answered, placing Alphys back on her feet.

Alphys, however, surprised both sans and Undyne. "Why not?" she replied. "Let us have our fun, okay? We've been through a lot. A few fun times should be considered..."

She paused, then grinned deviously. "... _inn_ -clusive to our new titles."

sans stared at her, then laughed, holding up a thumbs-up to her. "well played," he replied, and that was the end of that. "you guys ready?" he wondered.

Undyne swallowed hard, then nodded, grabbing Alphys's hand. Alphys also nodded.

"okay. follow me."

* * *

It was quiet.

That was to be expected, really. Monsters didn't like to dwell on death, really, instead preferring to focus on life, and those who lived it.

Graveyards were places where monsters could mourn in private, to a small stone that was placed alongside others bearing the name and dates of the one they lost. They never contained the dust of those loved ones, as the dust was always scattered at funerals elsewhere. The stones were there for the living, for times when the living were weak, and needed something physical to cry to.

Now was one of those times.

Undyne stared at the freshly-made stones in pained silence, reading the names of her beloved friends and comrades upon them with both disbelief and agony.

She started to tremble, then just dropped, one hand over her stomach and the other over her mouth, bursting into sobs that wracked her entire body. She felt the cold of the snow beneath her knees, felt it in the air around her, but she didn't care. She _couldn't_ care.

Their faces, their voices, all committed to memory, rose up in her like bubbles, and with each one came a stab of fresh pain, one she couldn't hold back no matter how hard she tried.

sans stood beside her, one hand on her shoulder. It shook, but unfortunately, he couldn't cry like she could. He could only cry inside, and he shut his eyes and let the pain wash over him anew.

Alphys stood behind her for a moment, shaking and in tears, herself, but unsure of what to do. She wanted to comfort her wife, wanted to hold her and tell her it was okay, but even saying that would be a lie, because it wasn't.

These people were murdered in cold blood, for no reason other than the fact that they were monsters. And they had been Undyne's friends - her _family,_ really.

 _"Alphy,"_ Undyne suddenly gasped out, startling her. "Pl-please?"

Alphys went to her side right away, tripping a little over the snow, and Undyne grabbed her, her arms going around her waist tight and her face into her stomach. Alphys leaned down and hugged onto her just as tight, rubbing her back and stroking her hair slowly, her eyes closed.

sans moved closer and kept his hand on Undyne's shoulder, squeezing tight - something she felt and was grateful for.

After that, for a long time, there was nothing said. The three remained in near-silence, save Undyne's sobs and Alphys's tears.

There truly was nothing to be said.

All that could be done was this, because without this, there was no way to continue. 

And continue they must.

With this, only now, could they truly do so, and finally be able to, without constantly looking back.

It was the closure they not only needed, but finally deserved to have.


	46. Miscalculate

Undyne was still kneeling in the snow, with Alphys and sans flanking her, when she got a text message from Asgore, one that, while worded rather nicely, still held a degree of urgency.

_"Undyne, my dear, I'm not certain as to what you've been up to, but the list for people who want to join the first wave to the surface is starting to get rather long - and the space in my palace small. Please return as soon as you can, to help organise everyone, as I've been having a bit of trouble, having unforeseen this amount of support. I thought you were remaining low-profile?"_

"Whoops," Undyne murmured, her voice a little raspy.

She was no longer holding onto Alphys, but kneeling with her hands in her lap - one now holding her phone - while Alphys sat beside her with her head on her shoulder, sans standing at her other side with a hand to her other shoulder.

Undyne didn't know for how long she cried, but she was so grateful that they both stayed with her through it. She'd expected Alphys to, true, but not sans. sans kept surprising her, and she was starting to really like him more and more for it.

She rubbed her eye and handed Alphys her phone, who read the text and smiled faintly, her own eyes swollen from tears.

"Oh," she said softly. "But we didn't really do anything, did we?"

"No," Undyne agreed. "I still haven't had a chance to talk to Napstablook. My brain was focused on you." Alphys blushed a little, but she smiled. "It's okay. We can stop in Waterfall on the way back."

"actually, i don't think that's necessary," sans said, his voice also soft. He had his phone out, too. "metta apparently texted me and asked if you two had gone to see napstablook. apparently they're already at new home, waiting for you."

The two stared up at him in surprised silence, partly because of Napstablook, but also because of sans using the name "Metta".

He blinked at them in reply. "what?" he wondered. "we're friends. can't a guy call his friend by a nickname?"

"Of course," Undyne replied. "I'm just surprised you're friends at all."

sans shrugged. "he's cool," was all he would say.

"Well, anyway," Alphys broke in gently. "We should get back. It shouldn't take us too long, especially if we take the ferry. Do you need to stop by your house at all?"

Undyne thought about it. "No, not really," she admitted. "I can always come back later. Do you?"

Alphys shook her head.

"Okay." She sighed, her eye taking in one last look at the stones in front of her, committing them to her memory - and her heart.

"Alright, let's go." She looked up at sans. "You coming with us?"

"sure," sans agreed, surprising them, but they were happy to have him along, anyway.

* * *

"oh. heheh."

Both Alphys and Undyne looked over at him, noticing that he was on his phone. They were in the ferry, and the trip had been mostly quiet, as Undyne was still a little shaky and Alphys was doing her best to comfort her.

"What's so funny?" Undyne wondered.

"every time you go anywhere, people take your picture," sans explained, pointing to his phone. "there's even a page dedicated to pics of you, called 'the empress in site'." He showed them the screen so that they could see the pun - as well as several pictures of both Undyne and Alphys candidly walking around, talking, or even eating.

Neither of them had noticed anyone taking pictures of them, so the amount was rather surprising.

"there's even a queue, because so many people have been taking them." He paused, swiping the screen a few times, before he laughed again. "you're the number one trending topic, too."

Alphys blushed deeply. Undyne sighed, though she couldn't help but smile. She eyed the boatperson. "Hey, do _you_ have a camera under all of that, taking pics of us, too?"

"No," they replied cheerfully. "If I were to do so, I'd mount the camera on the stern."

Both Alphys and Undyne glanced closely at the stern at that, which made both the boatperson and sans laugh.

* * *

They took the hidden pathway into the palace again, which ended up being a relief, as by the time they got there, Undyne found she was feeling oddly tired. She frowned when she realised it, wondering what could possibly of made her feel so tired in such a short time, as it was only starting into late afternoon,

Granted, when she cried, it took a lot out of her, but she usually bounced back after a good cry; if anything, it usually made her feel more energetic, having gotten rid of all of that negativity.

"What the hell," she muttered when she realised this.

"What's wrong?" Alphys wondered, looking up at her curiously, and noticing that she did look a little pale.

"I'm tired," she answered, sounding grumpy, glaring as they walked. "We haven't even been walking that long, and I'm tired. We took the stupid ferry, and I feel like we walked the whole way. I'm a fucking warrior; since when do I get winded just walking?!"

sans shrugged, but Alphys looked thoughtful, before she jumped and grabbed Undyne's hand, stopping her in place.

Undyne blinked in surprise, but Alphys didn't say anything. She reached up with her other hand and slipped it under Undyne's shirt, placing her palm over her abdomen closely.

Soon, Undyne felt the tickle of her magic upon her skin, and she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing from it - she was ticklish, after all.

Alphys's eyes widened, and her eyebrows went up in surprise. "Oh, my," she murmured, her other hand going over her mouth.

"Uh." Undyne blinked down at her, feeling both confused and nervous by her wife's reaction.

"Undyne," Alphys then said, her voice small. She looked up at her and blushed deeply, looking very embarrassed all of a sudden. "I'm so sorry!"

sans blinked, eyeing them both closely, having stopped once they did, his hands in his pockets.

"Why?" Undyne wondered, genuinely confused, now. Alphys didn't look upset, but as though she had done something silly and had been caught doing it (Undyne knew that look rather well by now).

"I-I miscalculated," she admitted, slowly pulling her hand away from under Undyne's shirt, only to tangle it with her other one in nervousness. "I mis-miscalculated quite a b-bit."

"Alphy," Undyne sighed. "Please just tell me, so we can get back and I can sit my ass down."

"It-it's been five days" Alphys finally said. "A-almost a full week, now. Th-that's... uh..."

Her eyes flicked to sans, who blinked again.

"Er... r-right. Uh, U-Undyne... You-your, uh, gestation period."

Undyne blinked this time, going pink.

"I-I got it wr-wrong," Alphys concluded.

"By how much?" Undyne wondered.

"T-two months."

 Undyne stared at her, feeling shock flood her entire system in the form of butterflies and gooseflesh.

"Alphy," she murmured, the only thing she managed to get out.

"I-I know!" Alphys nodded, holding her heads in her hands. "I'm s-so sorry! I didn't realise! B-but when you m-mentioned you-you were tired and the-the way you've been s-so - er - well - _amourous_ with me, and--,"

"Two months off?" Undyne echoed, her cheeks now red.

Her hand went to her middle, moving her hand beneath her shirt, her fingers curving around it. Sure enough, she could feel a slight curve that definitely wasn't there a week ago.

Her eye went even wider. "You... you said... _five_ months, though?"

"Y-yes... but, from what I just f-felt, you've progressed far quicker than you would have if that w-were true!" Alphys explained, her own face bright red.

Their eyes finally met.

"We-we can have it confirmed by-by another doctor, or-or a midwife, of course, b-but, Undyne... it's... it looks like th- _three_ months, n-not five."

"Holy shit," Undyne whispered, her eye never leaving Alphys's face. She could feel herself start to tremble.

"I-I'm sorry," Alphys said, reaching up and grabbing Undyne's other hand between her own, looking a little panicked. "B-but, we can still prepare for-for it, and-and-- _ack!"_

Undyne cut her off by lunging for her, grabbing her into a tight hug and pulling her off her feet, bursting into laughter.

Alphys suddenly did the same, grabbing onto her for both balance and in giddiness, the meaning of her words actually sinking in and allowing her to understand.

sans stared at them. "wait," he said. "so, you're gonna pop in _three months?!"_

"Yeah!" Undyne cried, thrilled. She kissed Alphys on her nose, then both of her cheeks, before holding her tighter and spinning her around a few times, bringing high-pitched giggles from her wife, both surprised and happy. "It's fucking awesome!"

"whoa," sans replied, scratching at his bony cheek. "that's not a long time, you know. you're gonna have to tell the public sooner than you planned."

"Whatever!" Undyne answered, stopping her spinning and kissing Alphys right on the lips - something that had Alphys clinging to her and returning it, which led to a moment that had them both rather distracted - and forgetting that they weren't alone.

That is, until sans very loudly cleared his throat.

Undyne very gently placed Alphys back on her feet, but kept close, still laughing with her. She knew she should probably be nervous - scared, even - but all she could think was, _I get to meet her sooner! I get to hold her sooner! I can barely wait already, and now I don't have to wait as long!_

Alphys was surprised, really. Though she was initially upset that she'd gotten the math so poorly wrong, the fact was that once she also allowed herself to think of what that actually meant, instead of just seeing it as numbers, she felt almost exactly the same way.

It was to the point that she started crying, despite the fact that she was grinning so wide her cheeks hurt.

"Oh, Alphy, don't cry!" Undyne said in dismay, brushing her tears away.

But Alphys shook her head. "I'm happy!" she squeaked out, thrilling Undyne further.

"We gotta tell Asgore!" she announced. "And Mettaton! And then fucking _everyone!"_

"W-wait," Alphys said. "We should wait until two weeks, just in case--,"

"No, fuck that," Undyne answered. "We're telling everyone."

"why?" sans wondered.

"Because I want them to know," Undyne explained. She stood up her full height, her hands on her hips. "I want them to know, because I know it'll make them happy. If they know that I'm pregnant while at the same time getting ready to go to the surface, it'll give them a whole new kind of hope, don't you think?"

Alphys beamed up at her. "Yes," she agreed, meaning it.

sans shrugged, but he also smiled. "can't argue with that," he confessed.

"Then let's go!" Undyne said with a wild grin.

She suddenly didn't feel as tired, anymore.

* * *

Asgore gaped at them for a full ten seconds, before his eyes filled and he started to cry.

"Oh, come on," Undyne sighed. "If you start, I'm going to start."

Asgore nodded, clearing his throat and looking away for a moment, but when he looked back and met her gaze again, his eyes filled up once more.

Undyne bit her lip, then grabbed him and hugged him, feeling herself do the same. "I hate you," she concluded, her voice choked, which made him laugh a little.

"Do forgive me," he said softly, giving her hair a kiss. "It's just been so long since a small one has been in my presence for so long. I'm looking forward to not waiting as long as I would have, is all."

"Well," Undyne said shakily, "you're gonna be the best granddad that there ever was."

Asgore choked at that, pulling her closer and crying again, and she smiled faintly; it was the reaction she'd expected.

"hate to interrupt," sans broke in, sounding as though he were telling the truth. "but you called us here about people volunteering?"

Asgore coughed and pulled away from Undyne, giving her shoulder a final squeeze before he became sombre. "Yes," he agreed. "It started small, with a few people from the border of Hotland, but then, as you travelled, it grew longer. There are even some of my Royal Guards here, which was surprising, as I had feared they had all been killed."

Undyne nodded. "A few survived in Hotland," she explained.

"Well, they apparently were talking to several others, and many people want to come along. A great deal." He hesitated, thinking about it. "I'd say at least eighty."

Undyne and Alphys stared at him in shock, while sans laughed in that silent way, again, holding his middle and hunching over.

"That's... almost three times what we'd expected," Alphys murmured.

"Which is fucking awesome," Undyne agreed, her hands on her hips. "But I have to be a bit mercenary here: can any of them build? We need homes; that's the first thing we need. I know it's going to be a tent city for a while, but we still need homes, and I want to get started as soon as possible."

Asgore smiled brightly. "Yes," he agreed. "The builders were within that first wave, as well, inspired by your speech. They're already gathering the materials for your home, Undyne."

Undyne blinked, looked at Alphys - who also blinked - then looked back at Asgore. "No, I'm not saying _my_ home, I'm saying homes for everyone."

sans sighed and rolled his eyes at her. "you really think that they're gonna build anything before they build you a home, first, empress?" he wondered dryly. "especially once you tell them you're knocked up?"

 _"Stop calling it that!"_ she snarled in response,  making him laugh again.

Alphys looked thoughtful. "This may sound selfish, but... there's a good point to having our home built first, Undyne. It could serve as a meeting place of sorts, and a place to always find you, one that's solid and permanent. That way, anyone and everyone can feel comfortable going to you and visiting you should they need to. It would also serve as a sort of unofficial heart of our city, so to speak."

Undyne hand her chin to her hand, taking in her words seriously. She hadn't thought of it that way at all; rather, she'd thought of it as something purely selfish, and was worried everyone would see her that way, too.

"Well..." she hesitated.

"Plus," Alphys added shyly. "You need a home, Undyne. _We_ need a home. You're going to give birth in three months. You need to have solid walls for that."

That sold Undyne, really. When put into the perspective of others - especially innocents like her own child - she found that she really couldn't say no.

"Alright," she finally relented. "We'll start with our home. But after that, we focus on others. Commerce, apartments, things like that."

"of course," sans replied.

Undyne looked at Asgore again. "Eighty people, you said?"

He beamed at her. "Yes," he agreed.

She beamed back, feeling a flutter of pure excitement course through her.

"Alright," she said. "Let's not waste anymore time. Let's go back to the surface."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for the delay in this chapter. I've been very, very ill, and still haven't quite gotten better yet, so the next update will also be late. I will do my best, as I'm almost done this story, but I can't promise regular updates as of now. I appreciate your understanding and patience.


	47. Build

"Hope you're ready for action, Laurel."

There was a pause on the other line of the phone, before Laurel answered rather tentatively. "I suppose that depends on the kind of action, Empress."

Undyne grinned, turning around and looking over her shoulder.

Behind her was a long, three-person-across queue that sprawled down the hallway towards the slope of the former barrier.

All were grinning and holding as much as they could carry, including building supplies, like tools and wooden planks, as well as personal supplies, like tents and luggage. All were staring at her and waiting, and all shared a differing look of nervous excitement.

Flanking her was, of course, Alphys, who held her free hand, and on her other side was both sans and Asgore (though admittedly the former king looked slightly nervous).

These were the people who had signed up right away for the first wave. And this was before she'd even told anyone about her pregnancy. That she was saving for later, once they'd managed to pitch their tents and gather around shortly after, that very night.

All told, there were eighty-three, not including the four of them in the lead, and Undyne was honestly proud of every single one of them. It had taken two days to get the supplies and make sure there were enough for everyone to have a semblance of shelter until real homes were built.

She'd barely been able to keep her mouth shut the whole time, and could barely wait until that night. She hadn't even told Laurel, yet.

"Lots of action," Undyne replied, now, grinning wider. "Also, I have huge news. Will you be able to come by the camp tonight, when the sun is down? That way, not only can you check out our progress and report back to the mayors, but also get to hear the news."

A few monsters who were close by heard this and perked up a little, hoping to hear more, but she merely raised an eyebrow at them and didn't elaborate.

"Your tone scares me, Empress, but I'm intrigued. I'd love to actually be there the whole day, to help. I'm also bringing the husband, if you don't mind."

"Please do," Undyne agreed. "Just get ready for some loud."

"Loud what?"

"Just loud," Undyne replied, her grin wild, now.

* * *

It took a bit to get things started.

They had chosen the few hours before dawn to get together and prepare to go to the surface, but once dawn hit, every single monster had to stop and just stare, shocked by the sight. Most were in tears, and several were muttering about how they could barely believe it. They were able to ignore the fact that there was a rather tight ring of Laurel's security team around them during this moment, and honestly, when Undyne and Alphys saw the reaction, they grabbed hands and felt tears of their own well up.

This was truly something no one had ever thought would happen. Ever. And now that it was, they weren't going to waste the moment.

So Undyne and Alphys waited patiently, enjoying their enjoyment, sharing their amazement and disbelief, as though they were reliving that first moment again, themselves.

Once they had managed to finally come back and calm down, they got to work.

The best thing about monsters was that they worked hard. It came from centuries of puzzle-making, of always using their minds and hands to make things that not only work, but work _well,_ and also involve a great deal of durability. That was, after all, what puzzles needed to be: they needed to last, especially after myriad times of being solved and reset. It was why monsters made such great architects.

Undyne desperately wanted to help. She paced, fussed, tried to stay busy by reading up on souls as well as human politics, but she couldn't stay still or concentrate on anything for that long. She flitted everywhere, trying to help, often reaching in and starting to without even thinking.

The only person who stopped her was Alphys, who had to grab her each time and drag her back.

By the time it was lunchtime, and everyone agreed to take a break and eat happily together (Laurel provided a huge lunch for everyone, excited to do so, and the monsters were excited to try human food), Undyne was furious - and Alphys was, too.

They walked away from the gathering of happy monsters eating and drinking to talk privately, but it did get rather... _shouty,_ to say the least.

"Alphys, stop pulling me away!" Undyne snarled as the start of their conversation, visibly shaking with how angry she was. Her eye shone with furious tears, and her hands were clenched at her sides and also shaking. "Just fucking _stop it!_ I want to help! I _need_ to help! Let me fucking help!"

 _"No!"_ Alphys shouted, losing her temper at last. She'd had to spent the entire time fighting Undyne, and it hadn't been easy, as Undyne was stronger than her, always would be, and always put up a fight. "You should know better, Undyne! The fact that I have to fight you at all makes me think you're not taking this seriously!"

"I _am!"_ Undyne protested, reaching up with one fist and brushing her tears away, even angrier that they were there at all. "I _am_ taking this seriously, Alphys! I need to help because I'm their Empress! I need to be a part of this because I'm a part of them, too!"

Alphys glared at her, her teeth bared - a rare sight for Undyne, so rare that it made her pause.

Wordlessly, Alphys reached out and placed her hand over Undyne's middle, and Undyne froze, the blood leaving her face.

Alphys couldn't speak, now, her breaths short and her throat clogged with her fury, but with that gesture, she didn't need to.

 _"Fuck,"_ Undyne suddenly whispered, covering Alphys's hand with hers. Her other hand went over her mouth, and her eye closed.

She'd forgotten. She'd actually forgotten.

In her fervour to help, she'd just let it slip from her mind, and that was why she didn't understand Alphys's constant interference. Instead of bothering to actually think about the reasons, she'd just let them annoy her, instead. And in doing so, she could have hurt herself - or worse.

Undyne grabbed Alphys and hugged her tight.

Alphys didn't return it, still hurt and angry, until Undyne whispered, "I'm so fucking sorry, Alphy. _Shit._ I'm an asshole, oh god, I'm a terrible person, I'm going to be a shitty mother--,"

"Stop," Alphys interrupted at that, gently slipping her arms around Undyne's waist. "You won't be. If anything, the fact that you always want to help is a good sign, Undyne. But... please, _please..."_

Her voice wavered, and Undyne gathered her closer, nodding. "Stop. Talk to everyone, tell them you're there, give them advice, but don't lift anything, don't get into anything physical, okay? I know you're strong... I _know_ you are... and I know I'm probably worrying too much, but..."

"Shh," Undyne answered, kissing her forehead several times. "You're right, love. You are. God, I'm so sorry..."

Alphys nodded, biting her lip.

For a moment, they held each other tight, both calming down now that they understood each other better. They only stopped when Laurel came by, looking strangely unfamiliar in civvies and also worried.

"Hey," she said gently. "You two okay? Food's ready. Aren't you hungry?"

"Starving," Undyne admitted, feeling it to be true. "We just... had a disagreement." Alphys nodded, giving Laurel a shy, shaky smile.

"Is everything fine now?" Laurel asked. When they both nodded, she smiled. "Come eat, then."

When they followed her back, they were able to relax again, surrounded by happy, excited faces that showed some strain, but that strain was being eased with each bite of food - and especially the sight of their Empress and her wife with them, again.

* * *

Soon, Undyne was amazed by the sight that was laid out before her. She stood on the highest point so that she could see all of it, and when she took it all in, she grinned so wide it hurt, her eye filling with thrilled tears.

Her hand went over her middle and rubbed gently, feeling that slight firmness, and all she could think about was, _This is perfect_.

In simplest terms, it was a tent city. But it was a _monster_ tent city, which meant that the tents involved were nothing like human tents. They were tall, of myriad shapes and sizes, of bright colours and strong materials, and barely any of them were made of simple cloth. Rather, they were a combination of magic material and organic, looking as close to tiny houses as possible. It was almost like a miniature village, save that it clearly was made quickly and with room for improvement. In the middle was a large space, big enough for all of the monsters to gather around a deep fire pit, one ringed with benches.

One place in particular stood out, and it was situated on the highest part of the hill, but still close to the rest. It was far larger than the others, clearly made to accommodate more people than the others, and it even had two levels - one private and one public.

Undyne hadn't been in it yet, but she knew it was for her and Alphys.

It was gorgeous, decorated in blues and golds, and it had been clearly built with so much love and care that she cried harder at the mere thought of it. 

Undyne wasn't sure if she could handle what it would look like inside, if the outside was any indication.

Alphys walked up the hill towards her, breaking her from her reverie, and she held her arms out right away.

Alphys went into them, holding her tight, and started giggling, burying her face into Undyne's chest and clinging onto her. One hand slipped down between them, and went right to where Undyne's had been prior to their embrace.

Undyne couldn't help it - she sobbed, once, and closed her eye. Alphys quieted at that, holding her close.

As the sun slowly vanished into the horizon, they stayed there, listening to their people laughing and cheering as they worked to finish the last remaining details before night fell in earnest. The sounds were so comforting to them both, despite realising that they also meant that they were responsible for each person who made them.

Yet instead of feeling overwhelmed or daunted by such a thing, they both felt oddly comforted by it.

This was what they were meant to do. This was what they were fighting so hard to do.

And now, finally, they were here.

And it felt _wonderful._

"Undyne?" Alphys murmured, still cuddled against her chest with her eyes closed, her hand still held over her belly and rubbing slowly.

Undyne nodded.

"We should probably get ready to tell them, now."

Undyne felt butterflies flood her, and her eye opened slowly, the green colour sparkling. She smiled. "Yeah," she agreed. "It's definitely time. Except..."

Alphys raised her head and looked up at her. Undyne cupped her cheek, and she smiled back at her. She stood up on her toes, and they kissed, deeply.

"I love you," Undyne whispered between kisses. "I love you so much, Alphy. I love you, you're _everything_ to me..."

Alphys couldn't respond, instead clinging tighter and deepening the kiss, her actions more eloquent than her words ever could be. Undyne uttered a soft sound at that, grabbing hold of her and lifting her off of her feet, something Alphys made a sound in reply to, her legs hooking around Undyne's waist. Undyne made another noise, one far more desperate, and suddenly they both forgot where they were, save that they were in each other's arms and kissing hard.

Undyne backed up quickly, and the moment she was stopped by what felt like the side of the mountain, she moaned softly in relief, something Alphys again returned to her, her claws digging into her shoulders.

"U-Undyne..." she managed to gasp out, shifting her hips against her wife's hard, which in turn had Undyne staggering, her hands tugging on Alphys's shirt.

"oh, come on."

They froze, their kiss breaking apart, panting and holding onto each other for balance.

Alphys hid her face into Undyne's shoulder, but Undyne looked over Alphys's and glowered at the source of the interruption, baring her teeth in her fury.

"Get. The fuck. Out of here," she snarled, her voice strained.

"nope," sans replied, holding his hands up as though helpless. "you two are wanted. you have a speech you need to make, don't you?"

Alphys suddenly held out her hand, aimed it backwards, and pointed a single finger at him without looking. A small bolt of lightning shot out from it and landed right in front of him, crackling into the ground at his feet.

He jumped back with a yelp, but he didn't even have to, as she wasn't even aiming to hit him - just at the ground in front of him.

The gesture, however, had Undyne bursting into hard, uncontrollable laughter, so surprised and yet so thrilled that she couldn't help it.

"Alphy!" she cried, staggering now for a completely different reason, Alphys slipping from her hold. _"Holy shit, Alphy!"_

Alphys jumped down to her feet and grinned at her, then turned to sans and glared at him, as Undyne leaned back and laughed so hard she was crying and gasping for breath.

sans gaped at her, his eyes huge and his hands held up, still. "when the hell did you learn to do that?!" he exclaimed, his usual calm nowhere in sight thanks to this.

"Been practising," she admitted a little shyly, scratching at her cheek. "That's the first time I've intentionally attacked."

"and you decided to use _me_ as a target?!"

Alphys grinned suddenly, the gesture so much like her wife's that he was again gaping at her. "Yes," she agreed. "I don't care if you're right, sans. You couldn't of waited at least fifteen minutes?!"

"Twe-twenty," Undyne broke in between laughs, now sitting on the ground, her arms around her middle.

"whatever," he answered. "can you just get down there and get this over with?! then you can be gross on your own time, okay?!"

He turned and walked back down without waiting for an answer, though he did flip them off on his way - something that only made them both laugh, this time.

* * *

When it came to talking to monsters - her people - Undyne found it easy, now. Everyone who looked at her was smiling, and it was wonderful to see.

She stood, her hands on her hips, in front of the fire pit - one now lit and blazing bright enough to illuminate quite a bit, though several orbs of magical light were still cast over each tent for additional visibility.

Alphys stood beside her, her hands folded in front of her, and she looked calm, too - because she was. For once, she didn't feel that debilitating nervousness. Granted, she did shake a little, always a little shaky when people stared at her, but the kindness in those faces, especially since they were faces she knew and cherished, made her feel calm.

The entire camp was silent, waiting for Undyne to speak. On her other side stood Asgore, looking calm and proud, but also strangely normal - like the civilian he now was, really. It had taken all day, but everyone was now at least partially acclimated to this being fact. And he seemed to rather enjoy it, too.

Undyne glanced at Laurel and Michael, who were sitting amongst the monsters, looking out of place but no less happy to be there. In fact, Laurel looked thrilled, finally in her element at last, her dreams finally coming true, and Michael looked happy because his wife was happy.

sans sat beside them, looking amused by their excitement, especially since he already knew the news. Though the place was still surrounded by a ring of her guards, and that ring was now reinforced with defensive magic, the place still felt safe.

A bit away, Mettaton was standing holding a camera, looking excited and eager. He had begged for the chance to film this, and after at least an hour of it, Undyne finally caved in, tired of listening to him. He had also made the incredibly good point that what he filmed would also go online - both on human and monster media - which was something that they all agreed was a good idea.

Undyne took a deep breath, smiled wider, and said, "Hey, everyone. I'm so happy to see all of you here. We've done amazing work today. Well, _you've_ done amazing work, here. I..." She went pink, something that was partially hidden by the darkness. "I hate to admit that I couldn't do very much to help you, but it's for a good reason, and it's also what I need to tell all of you here, right now."

For a moment, there was a hush, everyone waiting with bated breath, as Undyne tried to find the right words.

Then, she just shrugged and blurted it out in one go. "I'm pregnant."

The reaction was immediate, and far louder than even Undyne had anticipated.

Laurel gasped, covering her mouth in shock, and Michael gaped at Undyne in that same shock. sans laughed silently at their reactions, so hard he hunched over.

Mettaton yelped, and he almost dropped his camera (something that showed up on the video as a blur of forest, tent, and people, before he managed to catch it and try to film again), trembling so hard that it showed in his knees. His eyes went right to Alphys, who nodded, and he bit his lip, hard.

But his expression wasn't one of sadness, nor was it one of dismay.

No, it was one of _joy_.

His eyes blazed with it, and the sight had Alphys tearing up immediately.

The response from everyone else around them was similar, shouts of happiness and excitement erupting - as well as a few lewd comments that made Undyne laugh - and suddenly, there was an eruption of applause and cheers, everyone standing up to do so.

Undyne stared, then grabbed for Alphys's hand, holding onto it hard. Her other hand grabbed for Asgore's, and he held it, too. Her eye filled with tears, and she laughed again, this time in relief, her eye closing as she let the sound wash over her.

She didn't get much else said after that, as, really, there wasn't much she needed to add to it. This was fine for her, as she didn't know what to say, anyway. Instead, she just told everyone to eat, then made the rounds to check on everyone, making sure that they weren't too overworked or tired - something she found was immediately returned to her, making her both blush and laugh every time. She kept Alphys at her side, and as a result, there were more lewd and teasing comments aimed at her. Instead of getting embarrassed, however, she owned up to them, smirking each time and, when she could, making a joke in return - though she stammered a great deal.

It was, truly, a night that no one there would ever forget - especially for the Empress and the Queen, themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap, I'm sorry for the delay! My health has been in the gutter and I'm so glad I can post this at last!
> 
> Also! I lied. There will be one more smut chapter. e____e


	48. Starlight (NSFW)

Undyne was exhausted, but she didn't want to admit it to anyone.

Everyone around her was still celebrating, even though it was late, and she was trying to be the last one awake, because she felt as if that is what a true empress would do in a situation like this.  
  
But Alphys knew, and very gently, she murmured into her ear, "Let's go to bed, love."  
  
Undyne started to protest, only to realise that she'd been practically falling asleep on Alphys's shoulder, anyway, as they sat on one of the benches in front of the fire. Wearily, she nodded, and Alphys very gently took hold of her and helped her to her feet, quietly supporting her as they walked back up the hill and towards what would be their new home for a while.  
  
When they go there, Undyne was leaning heavily on Alphys, her eye closed. Alphys held her close, feeling rather warm and touched that Undyne trusted her so much. But then again, it didn't surprise her like it would have months ago. Now, it just made her remember that she was not only loved, but wanted, too - and needed.  
  
"Hon," Alphys murmured gently, stopping once they got into their new home.

The door closed, and immediately, the sounds vanished to low, barely-heard murmurs, thanks to soundproofing spells.

She reached up and touched Undyne's cheek, and Undyne stirred a little but kept her eye closed. "We're here. Do you want to take a look?"  
  
"Muh," she answered, her voice drained. "Tomorrow, okay?"  
  
Alphys was surprised by this, but she nodded, giving her cheek a kiss before she led her up the stairs to the private level above them. The entire level was walled off, accessible only by a door - one that was rigged with a spell that would open only to Alphys and Undyne, and anyone else they deemed permissible to enter. Alphys felt a slight tickle in her hand when she opened it, but nothing else happened, so she brought her exhausted wife into the room - and looked up, grinning.  
  
The room was huge, taking up the entire level. From what she could see in the dim lighting - small, soft globes of magic light hovering near the ceiling - it was beautiful. There were windows on three of the walls, all of them wide and generous, currently covered by beautiful, dark blue curtains that touched the richly-carpeted floor - also a deep blue, just of a varying shade. In fact, the entire room was a mixture of blues and golds, from the bedspread being a plaid of yellow and blue to the walls being painted a light, shiny blue similar to the sky.

It was breathtaking, and Alphys was eager to see it in the bright morning. Her throat clogged up, and she sniffled, so touched that she could barely breathe.  
  
Undyne heard her, leaning her head close and nuzzling her cheek gently. "Hey," she whispered. "You okay?"  
  
"Y-yes," she agreed. "Let's get you to bed."  
  
The bed itself was large and wide, though it wasn't overtly fancy like the one in the palace. It was a four-poster, but lacked the overhead covering and elaborate carvings. It was instead just solid pine, stained a darker brown, and Alphys liked it very much.

She sat Undyne down on it and undressed herself, then went to one of the dressers to look for a nightgown - finding a whole drawer of them, and suited to her taste, too. She grinned and grabbed the first one she saw, a dark green sleeveless gown that reached her knees and was nice and billowy, and wearing it felt really nice against her skin, the material light and soft.  
  
When she turned back to Undyne, her wife had fallen sideways and was curled up on the bed in a ball, hugging her folded legs to her chest and breathing deeply.

Alphys felt a pang go straight to her heart, and she went to her, unfolding her gently and carefully taking her clothes off save her underwear.

Then, she whispered, "Come on, Undyne," before pulling on her arms gently.

Undyne whined a little but complied, allowing Alphys to pull her to the head of the bed and lie her properly beneath the covers and against the pillows. The moment Alphys pulled the covers over them both, Undyne shifted and grabbed hold of Alphys tight, then resumed her deep breathing.  
  
Alphys held her close, kissing her sleeping face a few times before she, too, fell asleep with a small smile on her face, one that stayed through most of her sleep.

* * *

"Alphy..."  
  
Alphys slowly drifted awake, coming up from a dream that quickly vanished. She suddenly felt Undyne's arms holding her tightly around her waist, pulling her backwards and against her.

Alphys could feel how warm she was through her nightgown, and she was surprised.  
  
"Undyne?" she whispered, turning her head a little. "Are you oka--?"

Her eyes met Undyne's, and her words vanished: Undyne's eye was glazed with what she was sure was... _desire?_  
  
Undyne couldn't explain it. She'd slept hard, but she also knew it had only been for a few hours. Yet she woke up quite suddenly, out of nowhere, not only feeling refreshed - but aroused.

She couldn't explain it, save that it was likely a combination of hormones, and the fact that she was with Alphys - and in their new home, to boot.  
  
"I'm _more_ than okay," she whispered, pushing closer to her wife and leaning down, pressing her lips against the curve of Alphys's neck. Alphys tilted her head and sighed softly, and Undyne felt her shiver.

"I have a great idea," she added, barely moving her lips against Alphys's neck.  
  
"Oh..." Alphys whispered, her eyes closed, her tail reaching out and curving around one of Undyne's legs tight. She couldn't help it.

When it came to Undyne, it was so easy for her to want, so easy for her to yearn, like a switch that only Undyne could flip. This was made even more true due to the fact that they'd been interrupted earlier in the day.

"Undyne... I..."  
  
"You'll love it," Undyne replied, grinning.  
  
"Undyne," Alphys answered. "Please... don't make me beg..."  
  
Undyne paused, tempted by that for a moment. After all, they were in their new home; what better way to break it in?  
  
But then again, Undyne knew her idea was better - and had been put off for too long, already.  
  
"Trust me," Undyne replied, though her voice was a touch strained, too. "Let me get something on, and trust me, okay?"  
  
Alphys nodded slowly. She would always trust Undyne. Always.

* * *

The night was dark, the magic lights extinguished and the camp lit only by dim embers in the firepit - and the moon and stars above. The moon was half-full, but it was enough this far away from the city to light quite a bit.

The two were actually surprised by the quiet, as they both admitted to each other as they got ready that they'd expected almost every monster had stayed up to watch the stars.

But perhaps they'd simply underestimated how tired everyone was, as the camp was almost eerily quiet.  
  
The crisp, cool night air not only woke them both up, but invigourated them, bringing grins to their faces, their hearts beating hard. They held hands, Undyne holding a bundle and Alphys holding a basket. They snuck back around to the other side of the mountain, hoping to avoid the guards, as the magical barrier was easy enough to slip through, but they failed on the former.  
  
"We're fine," Undyne hissed, getting annoyed that they stopped both her and Alphys. "I'm the fucking Empress. No one is going to mess with me. Please leave us alone! If I catch any of you near us I'll... I'll..."  
  
"I'll electrocute you," Alphys broke in, her voice just as sharp.

Since she wasn't as prone to making threats as Undyne, she took the guards by surprise - and they also took her seriously. They promised to back off, and she nodded, pleased.

(Undyne was staring at her, her face bright red and her breaths quick, her brain vanishing lower for a moment from this.)  
  
Finally, they got far enough to be out of sight and out of hearing range of anyone, and the moment they did, for a moment, they just dropped everything and grabbed each other into a fierce kiss, one that had them both making eager, soft grunts from deep within their throats. They both staggered from the force of it, but neither really cared at that moment.  
  
However, when Undyne's hands started hiking up Alphys's nightgown, Alphys broke away and gasped out, "Wait, wait!"

Undyne blushed, coming back to herself, and she nodded, slowly pulling back and catching her breath for a moment, Alphys doing the same.

When they could, they both knelt down and picked up their discarded items.  
  
Undyne unrolled and spread out a large, fluffy blanket, one that was both warm and soft. Alphys smiled and sat down on it with her, bring the basket over and taking out a couple of pillows and a second, lighter blanket, one she kept folded for now.

Then, she set the basket aside, and they smiled at each other for a moment.  
  
Then, Undyne whispered, "Kiss me, Alphy."  
  
Alphys moved close to her and did, slipping her arms around Undyne's neck and kissing her deeply, sparing no time snaking her tongue into Undyne's mouth to touch hers. Undyne grabbed onto her hard, licking her tongue and gasping, feeling a jolt hit her hard.

Alphys leaned on her suddenly, and she found herself on her back on the blanket, her head cushioned by the pillows placed there for that specific reason.

Without pause, Alphys reached between them and undid Undyne's robe quickly - one they found in the second drawer of the dresser - and pulled it apart, her hands reaching beneath and trailing over her wife's firm, smooth body. Her eyes closed in pleasure from that, and she broke from the kiss to instead trail her lips down along Undyne's jawline and to her neck, nipping a little bit each time.  
  
Undyne shrugged the robe off and tossed it aside, then reached up started pulling at Alphys's nightgown again.

Alphys, however, reached down with one hand and pulled one of hers away, shaking her head. She moved down lower, and without anymore hesitation, she closed her lips around one of Undyne's nipples, feeling it harden immediately. Undyne gasped, her eye closing and her hands grabbing onto Alphys's hips, her fingers digging in hard. Alphys cupped her other breast with her other hand and kneaded gently, something that had Undyne squirming a little, her flesh growing warmer with each touch.

That was something Alphys loved, the fact that she was able to bring Undyne to such a state. It not only made her happy, but also made her aroused, too.  
  
As she moved her head down, she let her eyes travel over Undyne's body, taking every single inch of her in.

The Empress was lit by the lovely blueish light of the moon and the stars, and it made her skin look almost translucent, as though it glittered like labradorite. The myriad scars were visible still, but they only seemed to add even more character to her body, and Alphys trailed her fingertips over each one, loving the feel.  
  
Undyne hands slipped up as Alphys slipped down, and Alphys looked up at her face - and paused, transfixed for a moment.

Undyne had left her hair down and her left eye uncovered, and Alphys could see her face in full view, her mouth going dry from the sight. Her eye was closed tight, the other dark but glinting a little from within its depths, though from what, she wasn't sure.

And her hair... the usually bright-red colour was almost purple in the dark, the highlights adding a kind of opaque look to the tresses that Alphys loved so much. It fell over her shoulders and a little over her breasts, and as Alphys moved lower, one of Undyne's hands reached up and tangled itself in it, her teeth sinking down hard in her bottom lip as she moaned softly.  
  
"God, I love you," Alphys blurted out, her voice barely above a whisper.

She hadn't even been aware that she'd said it aloud until Undyne's eye opened and met hers in surprise, the green colour glowing in the dim light. Undyne reached down with her other hand and gently cupped her cheek, her eye wavering.  
  
"I love you, Alphy," she whispered back, and Alphys could see it was true.

It was so obvious, so blatantly obvious, that she blushed, feeling both shy and touched. She nuzzled Undyne's hand for a moment, before she pulled away and kissed down along Undyne's belly, her lips lingering over the firm skin, gently. Undyne closed her eye and sighed deeply, leaning back again, and Alphys smiled, pleased by this, too.  
  
When she was close enough, she took hold of Undyne's knees and parted her legs gently, something that Undyne hissed out her held breath at, sounding eager. She squirmed again in clear anticipation, and Alphys decided to not keep her waiting. She moved close and pressed her face between Undyne's legs, slowly trailing the tip of her tongue over Undyne's already-slick slit.

Undyne whispered out her name, making Alphys shiver and push closer, and she parted those lips with her tongue and plunged it in deep, rewarded by how rich and warm her wife tasted, the flavour practically melting on her tongue.  
  
Undyne swallowed hard, arching back as Alphys pleasured her, her fingers tangling into her hair, her other hand going to Alphys's head and holding on firmly. She moaned softly, as there was nothing quite like the feel of Alphys's tongue and lips against her sensitive folds. 

Undyne tilted her head back and gasped out Alphys's name again, opening her eye--  
  
\--and she froze, staring above her.  
  
Stretching out above her was the sky, but it was like nothing she'd ever seen before, not even on TV or magazines, not even in her best dreams. The stars were clustered together, bright pinpoints of crystal, only so much better than any crystal that existed in the Underground. They glittered above her, some bright white, others almost reddish or blue. They arced above her, almost like in lazy paint-strokes, and they looked endless, infinite, without beginning or end, in a way that was both terrifying and thrilling.  
  
Undyne stared, her mouth open, her body shaking from both growing pleasure and the stars above her. She started to weep silently, realising that she'd never really known true pleasure until this exact moment: looking up at this natural miracle, all while being with Alphys - being intimate with Alphys - who was not only her wife, but her Queen.  
  
Nothing, nothing at all, was equivalent to this moment, ever, in her entire life.

There would only be one other than would rival it, but that was yet to come.

At this moment, this was the best moment of her life.  
  
She suddenly closed her eye, crying out sharply, her hands jerking and her body arching again; Alphys had increased the pace of her tongue over her clit, and now all she could concentrate on was the pleasure that was building within her.

"Alphy," she groaned out, her hand leaving her hair and grabbing at the blanket beneath her hard, her nails digging into it. _"Alphy...!"_  
  
She felt Alphys squeeze one of her knees, before she suddenly increased the speed of her tongue, in turn driving Undyne even closer. She cried out again, desperately, her other hand moving away from Alphys's head before she dug her nails in and hurt her, instead moving it to her shoulder.

She was close, she was _so close..._  
  
Alphys suddenly licked along her clit in just the right way, and finally, Undyne came, her orgasm crashing into her so hard she cried out again, loudly and drawn out, her whole body practically undulating from the feel of it. She gasped for breath, only each breath was just another cry, and Alphys moved to draw it out longer, something that had her groaning long and loud from deep within her throat.

"Fuck...!" she cried out. "Ah, Alphy, fuck, _fuck!!"_

It was all she could think of to say, really, her eloquence completely gone from how good she felt.  
  
Alphys slowed her tongue, then gently kissed her slit softly, lingering a bit to taste the change in the flavour her orgasm had brought, before she sat up and smiled, her tail wagging happily.

Undyne collapsed back onto the blanket - one that now had holes in it from her nails - and she panted, her body covered in a sheen of sweat. She was dazed, almost half-asleep, and Alphys felt her heart flutter with happiness. She crawled up to her side and lay down next to her, and Undyne rolled on her side and hugged her tight, whimpering a little.  
  
Alphys held her close as she calmed, stroking her hair slowly, still smiling. She kept her eyes closed, content in just holding her, and she wondered if they would both end up falling asleep together this way. She wouldn't of minded that, either. She wasn't the type of lover that demanded to come every time, and therefore if this was as far as they went, she was still happy. She knew Undyne knew this, which also helped her relax.  
  
But then, once she realised Undyne's breaths had finally evened out, Undyne's hands shot up and grabbed onto her upper arms hard, startling her. 

Alphys jumped in surprise, her eyes snapping open, and suddenly she found herself on her back. She squeaked, but Undyne wasn't done, her moves so fast that they were practically blurs, and Alphys found herself naked in seconds beneath her, her nightgown pulled off over her head and her underwear shoved down and off just as fast. 

Alphys squeaked again, and Undyne pressed her body right against hers, her body still damp and hot, before she kissed her, so hard that Alphys relaxed immediately beneath her, grabbing hold of her tight and returning it with sudden growing fervour.  
  
"Again," Undyne hissed out between kisses, her voice hoarse. _"Again,_ Alphy. Oh, god, I need you, again, _please..."_  
  
Alphys wrapped her legs around her waist tight, pulling her down against herself harder, so hard that Undyne cried out and grinned, her eye sparking with lust. Alphys grinned back at her, then kissed her again, moaning softly when Undyne deepened it, one hand reaching down and cupping around one of her breasts, kneading it in such a way that had Alphys groaning instead, her eyes closing and her claws digging into Undyne's back, her hips pushing up urgently.

When Undyne was like this, she loved it. She loved it when Undyne was firm in her desire, because she trusted her, and knew she would never be hurt. Rather, she knew the firm actions were from eagerness, one that would always amaze - and arouse - her.  
  
_"Yes,"_ Alphys gasped out, grabbing Undyne's face between her hands and kissing her between each sentence. "Yes, Undyne... take me... please, _please..."_  
  
"You never have to beg," Undyne answered honestly.

And to prove it, she shifted and pressed close, grinding down so that their vulvae touched close, and the warmth and wetness of them both felt amazing. She adjusted so that their clits rubbed against each other, something that had Alphys gasping and whimpering from, jolting in pleasure, before she started to thrust her hips against hers hard, moving fast and moving close.

Alphys groaned in relief, and Undyne kissed her again, almost as hard as she moved, her tongue dancing against Alphys's. Alphys shuddered, heat lancing into her so hard she felt almost feverish, and her tail grabbed one of Undyne's legs and hugged it so hard it almost hurt.  
  
Undyne suddenly broke the kiss, but didn't stop moving. "Alphy," she whispered, her eye glowing. "Look up. Look up, okay?" And she buried her face into Alphys's neck, trailing her teeth along its curve slowly.  
  
Alphys didn't for a moment, too lost in the sensations to do so, but when she could, she tilted her head back and raised her eyes up to the sky. She gasped, her breath catching, and she clung onto Undyne tight, feeling as if for a moment if she let go, she'd fall into that stretch of sky.

It was beyond anything she'd ever seen before, anything she ever even thought was scientifically possible, and she felt cheated that she - and everyone around her - had been so cruelly deprived of this sight for so many decades.  
  
"God," she whispered, her voice wavering. "Undyne - _ah_ \- it's... it's..."  
  
"I-I know," Undyne agreed breathlessly, resting her cheek against Alphys's shoulder for a moment and closing her eye, concentrating on their shared, intimate rhythm, as well as Alphys's voice.  
  
"I c-can't... I can't be-believe it..." Alphys admitted, her eyes closing for longer than a blink for a moment when a jab of pleasure hit her. "Th-this is... this... _ah..."_

Her eyes closed again, this time completely, her eyes just rolling up. _"Ah!"_ she cried, unable to say anything else, now.

But she felt tears fill her eyes all the same, the imprint of those stars still behind her eyelids.  
  
Undyne suddenly grabbed one of her hands and dragged it to her side, pushing Alphys's fingers over her gills. The gesture made her whimper and squirm, but she held that hand in place, and Alphys trailed her fingers along those grooves slowly, knowing by now just the right way to do it without hurting or overwhelming Undyne. Undyne buried her hot face into the crook of Alphys's neck at that, and she started moving harder, her other hand digging into the blanket again.

They were both close, now, and it was getting harder and harder to hold back - for Undyne, especially, now that Alphys was touching her gills.  
  
_"Undyne!"_ Alphys suddenly said, her voice high-pitched. "Please... _please...!"_  
  
_"Alphy...!"_ Undyne answered, her voice muffled but small, her nails digging into the back of her hand. "Just... bit more... just...!"

Undyne then moved her head up and kissed Alphys, something Alphys returned desperately, and that was the precise moment that their orgasm hit, taking them both by surprise but also relieving them greatly.

Their shared cries of pleasure were muffled, their bodies writhing against each other hard, but they didn't stop moving, not even close. They wanted it to last as long as possible, the combination of the night's cool air and the glittering canopy above them making the entire moment feel precious and rare.  
  
It faded slowly, something they regretted a little but knew was inevitable.

Once it had, they both relaxed, and Alphys went limp again beneath Undyne, her hand dropping from her gills, the other from her shoulder.

Undyne did, too, her body going heavy atop her wife's, her whole body flooded with both pleasure and sudden fatigue. She listened carefully, and was comforted to hear Alphys's heavy but fast breaths - she was clearly blacked out.

Undyne shakily grabbed the second blanket and threw it over herself, then curled above and around Alphys to act as a blanket for her, before she let her eye close and her own body relax, drifting into that delicious darkness that always came after they both made love this way.

It was something they'd never forget - ever.


	49. Grow

The dawn woke them, which was a good thing, as they were rather compromised; both jolted awake the moment the sunlight touched them.

Quickly, with a shared laugh, they got dressed and gathered everything up, then darted back towards the camp city, skirting past the guards that moved away from them rather gingerly - though one smirked at them (it turned out to be James).

They got back in time, as the monsters around them were still asleep from the celebration of the night before, so it was without notice that they snuck back into their home.

It was then that Undyne finally saw her new home, and she froze in the doorway, her eye going wide and her hands tightening around the bundle of blankets that she held to her chest. Her mouth went small, but it quivered, and Alphys leaned against her gently.

In the sunlight, their home could be seen much better, and they found the place was like a single-room apartment, complete with a partially closed-off kitchen and a bathroom down a small hallway and towards the back. The main room had two long couches and two similar chairs, all brand-new and soft, and they surrounded a long, flat wooden table, one perfect for either meals or spreading plans upon it - a casual kind of meeting room. There was a cabinet as well, one that hid and housed a generous TV and their collections of VHSes and DVDs from the Underground, and there were bookshelves that lined the walls, already stacked close to maximum capacity thanks to their shared collections.

Like upstairs, there were windows on three of the walls, and they were also wide and generous, catching a great deal of sunlight, even through the thick curtains that were the same as the ones in their bedroom. The colour scheme was also similar, in varying shades of blue, yellow, and dark browns.

It was, in short, something out of a dream.

And it wasn't even _permanent._

The monsters who had worked on it had worked their hardest to make it perfect. In fact, Undyne suspected that nothing else was really completed yesterday except this place, and it showed. It wasn't rushed, though, but clearly built with care and love.

"Holy shit," Undyne whispered, her voice wavering as her eyes filled with tears.

Alphys closed her eyes and slipped her arms around her waist, hugging her tight, and Undyne rested her head on the top of hers, letting the tears fall.

"They love you, Undyne," Alphys whispered.

"Us," Undyne growled. "They love _us."_

Alphys blushed, but nodded slowly, letting the words permeate her wall of shyness and low self-worth, realising it to be true.

"Yes," she said softly. "Just as we love them."

"Yes," Undyne agreed fiercely. "Always. _Always."_

Alphys smiled. "Come on, let's go upstairs and get ready for the day. There's still a lot to do."

Undyne smiled back at her, leaning down and kissing her for a moment, before she said, "Alphy, last night... this morning, whatever... it was amazing."

Alphys blushed, but nodded in agreement. "Yes. I think so, too."

"Alphy," Undyne added, her voice a little husky. "We still haven't broken in the new bed, yet. Not _really."_

Alphys stared at her, then started laughing, so hard that she clung onto Undyne to keep herself on her feet.

Undyne laughed in return, dropped the blankets and pulled the basket from Alphys's hands, tossing it to the floor, then scooped her up into her arms, carrying her up those stairs and back to their bedroom.

It was quite a productive morning.

* * *

While Alphys showered (they were pleased to find a working shower, dependent mostly on magic for it to work, but a kind of magic that Alphys knew and could easily repair if it needed it), Undyne sat on the bed, brushing out her wet hair, slowly, wincing each time her comb got caught in an errant knot.

She frowned when a particular knot actually caught her comb, and she grabbed at it - then started laughing.

It was a short, thick branch tied up in a great deal of her hair, and it was hard to stay mad when she thought about why it was there.

Though it took a great deal of time - and patience - she carefully untied it and was about to throw it away.

But then she hesitated, holding it in her hand for a moment. She looked around, then spotted, on one of the dressers, a small, simple wooden box. She got up and put the branch in the box, smiling faintly, before she went back to attending the wet mess of her hair.

When she'd finally gotten it combed and tied back into a ponytail, her phone chimed. Curious, she went to it, wondering why whoever it was didn't just knock at the door.

_"Undyne, it's Asgore. I'd like to speak to you at your home today when I come back up to the surface. It's about, well, we can discuss it then. What time is good?"_

_"Come anytime,"_ she replied. 

She was about to get up to knock on the door to the bathroom in order to let Alphys know when she heard a loud knock at the front door downstairs.

Blinking, she turned away and went downstairs, then opened it - to Asgore, who was holding his phone in one hand and smiling a little shyly.

"Really?" Undyne snorted, smirking at him, before she hugged onto him tight.

He returned it quite happily, before she ushered him in and sat him down on one of the couches.

"Want anything to drink? I'm not really sure what we've got, but..." She shrugged and opened the cupboards, then smiled. "Tea. Want?"

He nodded, lighting up, and she laughed and went to make it.

A small quiet fell over them as she did, one that was comfortable. Undyne fumbled a bit around her new kitchen, having to open quite a few cupboards and one of two fridges before she could find the ingredients she needed.

Asgore watched her, noticing a kind of special care in her moves, one that certainly hadn't been there two weeks ago, that was certain.

At one point, while she was waiting for the kettle to boil, she stood in front of it and smiled, her eye closed and one hand rubbing her middle idly.

The gesture struck him deep, because he knew it was something she did completely without thought - save with thoughts towards the future.

"Undyne," he said softly, and she turned, her hand still in place, her smile still wide. "I want you to have your child Underground."

The smile vanished immediately, and to his surprise, her eye narrowed into a glare. She turned away quickly, just as the kettle whistled, and made the tea with jerky movements, slamming things around as she did.

When she came back with the two mugs, she slammed his down in front of him, the hot water sloshing a little over its sides. He blinked, bemused, especially when she set hers down normally, sat down across from him, and leaned back, crossing her arms across her chest and glaring at him, looking incredibly offended and furious.

"Uhm," he tried to elaborate, unsure whether he should touch the tea, when she leaned forward, her hands on her knees.

"You don't get to decide that," she said softly, though her voice was dripping with anger. Her nails dug into her knees, and they shook. "You know who does? Me. Me and Alphy. Not you."

"But, Undyne--,"

"No," she snapped, her voice raising. "You don't get to decide that!"

"Er."

They both looked up and found Alphys walking down the stairs, her eyes narrowed. They flicked to Undyne, then Asgore, before going back to Undyne.

"What's going on?" she wondered softly. "Why are you yelling?"

Undyne waved her over, and she went to her side, sitting down beside her, still looking wary.

"Tell her," Undyne snapped at Asgore. "Tell her what you said to me."

"I just said," Asgore sighed, "that I think you should have your child Underground."

Alphys's eyes narrowed even further, and they glinted with yellow. "Oh," she said thinly.

"Hear me out," he pleaded, and they both stayed quiet, though their glares were disconcerting. "The Underground is safe, and it's familiar. Humans don't know how to deal with monster birth--,"

"I'm not having humans present at the birth, save maybe Laurel," Undyne interjected sharply.

"Okay," Asgore faltered, slightly thrown by this for a moment. "But to give birth on the surface is dangerous, Undyne, especially with how precarious things are right now. And while I'm sure you believe that things will be better in a few months in time for the birth, I still think it's safer for the three of you that the birth is done Underground, in a hospital with monsters."

Undyne and Alphys were silent for a moment.

Then, Undyne said, "You done?"

When he sagged a little and nodded, she continued.

"Good. Because I love you and shit, but that's not happening."

"Why not?" Asgore wondered, his own voice a little sharp, now.

"Because this kid needs to be born here, on the surface, probably in this house," Undyne answered, each word clipped. "It _might_ be safer to have her Underground. It _might_ be easier to be in a monster hospital. I don't deny any of that. But what's easy isn't always right. And this kid is being born on the surface, whether you're there or not."

"Of course I'll be there," Asgore protested. "Of course I will!"

"Th-then trust us," Alphys broke in. "I'm a doctor, and I know what I'm doing. I can take care of Undyne during the birth, and I can also ask around the camp for additional help. She'll be okay - they both will."

"But... you still haven't answered _why,_ " Asgore answered, looking frustrated.

"Because she'll be the first monster born on the surface in _centuries,"_ Alphys explained, her eyes shining suddenly. "Not only is that immense and incredible on its own, but it's also a sign that we _trust_ the surface enough to have our child here. It will send the humans a powerful message, one I don't think they would be able to get any other way."

Undyne beamed at her, placing a hand over hers gently and rubbing it, nodding.

Asgore blushed deeply, looking sheepish by the end. He looked down at his mug. "Golly," he murmured. "How silly of me. I should have known - suspected that - from the moment I thought about it."

He looked back up, and his eyes darted between them, and he smiled. "I'm so glad that it's you two. You are doing so much, in such a short time, things I could have _never_ done. This only cements that. Of _course_ it makes sense that she's born here."

"I'm glad you get it, now," Undyne said, her voice now soft, as was her eye.

She leaned back and took a sip of her mug at last, then offered it to Alphys, who did the same - and made a face, handing it back (she preferred hers to be sweeter).

"It... would really hurt me if you weren't there, Dad."

Asgore's heart warmed at this, and he smiled wider, his eyes burning. "I would have been there no matter what, Undyne."

Undyne grinned at him, then got up and hugged him tight, crashing into him so hard that he almost spilt his tea on her. She didn't mind either way, especially when he laughed and hugged back.

When she'd sat back down and was brushing the tears from her own eye, Alphys glanced at Asgore shyly and asked, "What do you think of the camp so far? You walked through it to get here, right? Is... is it, uh... okay?"

Asgore blinked at her, surprised, then he understood: even now, Alphys was always eager for his approval in her endeavours, even if they changed a great deal.

He smiled at her. "It's actually more than I expected," he admitted, looking around him. "They were just starting to wake up again when I got here. I'm very impressed, and... proud." He looked at them again. "Very proud. Of you and of our people."

Alphys blushed, pleasantly surprised, and she leaned close to Undyne to hide her face into her shoulder before she could control it. Both Undyne and Asgore laughed gently at this, but Undyne also blinked, her arm going around her wife.

"Asgore," she said, looking at him. "That reminds me. Alphy needs combat training."

Alphys's red face shot out from behind Undyne's shoulder. Instead of protesting like he'd expected, however, she nodded, her eyes glinting. That, alone, reminded him of just how much she'd changed.

"Alphy's not comfortable with me training her while I'm pregnant," Undyne went on, making a face. "So I elected you to do it instead, so long as I get to supervise and make sure you two don't act like weenies."

Alphys glared up at her. "What is that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

Undyne smiled at her. "Not taking it seriously in case you hurt each other. I _know_ Dad would end up doing that."

She shot her smile to Asgore, who cleared his throat, proving her right.

"Exactly. I need you both to put your all into it, and that means fighting with your all. And once I give birth and am healed enough, I'm gonna take his place..." Her smile turned to a grin. "And then the _real_ training will begin."

Alphys sighed, her blush paling a little. She rested her face back into Undyne's shoulder and nodded. "O-okay," she agreed. "I-if it's okay with Asgore."

He nodded. "It is, though I must admit that I never expected to see the day I would end up sparring against my Royal Scientist," he admitted.

"None of this was expected," Undyne answered easily. "What counts is how we make it work out."

No truer words had ever been spoken.


	50. Final Interlude: Birth

The following few months saw greatness.

The moment the tent city was formally finished, complete with stores, homes, and a bar (Grillby had indeed taken Undyne up on her offer - as well as succumbed to additional prodding from sans - and came to the surface), Undyne contacted Mayor Awad and told her to come and visit with Laurel so that she could see, with her own eyes, the success of her people.

When the Mayor did indeed see that success, she did something rare, indeed, and actually _laughed_ , not out of mockery, but out of pure happiness and pleasant surprise.

Clearly, she hadn't been expecting such a success, so when she was greeted with it, she was thrilled to be wrong, indeed.

By then, she was two months pregnant, and it definitely showed, but it didn't slow her down - though she endlessly complained when she couldn't fit into her favourite clothes. She flitted around the camp as much as she could, despite the protests and constant comments of that size, to the point that she started simply snarling without words the moment anyone started on it, which ended up being an effective thing.

Both the monsters Underground and the humans on the surface had taken Undyne's pregnancy with a fairly large degree of shock - especially the humans, who hadn't really thought monsters, especially two that were female, could even get pregnant at all.

This was increased even further when Undyne finally announced that she would have the baby on the surface, in her own new home, whether anyone liked it or not.

This was the kind of attitude that both the humans and the monsters were  getting used to, so they took her seriously and - especially the monsters - did what they could to help make it easier.

"For _fuck's sake!"_ Undyne snarled one afternoon, coming into the house for lunch with Alphys and finding not one, not three, but _five_ gift baskets on the doorstep. "How the hell do they keep doing this without me even seeing them _do it?_ And _why?!"_

Alphys laughed and scooped them up, hooking three on one arm and two on the other. Undyne growled and let them both in, storming her way through the door, which only made Alphys laugh harder.

This was the fifth day in a row that this had happened, and it started once Undyne hit the two-month mark. Each basket always contained something a new mother would need: clothes, socks, shoes, hats, blankets, you name it, they thought of it. It was to the point that Undyne wondered if they all thought she was having _five_ children instead of just one.

"Well," Alphys said kindly, resting the new baskets with the others - at least two dozen by now. "Think of it this way: you can donate what you don't need to others who do."

Undyne sighed, sitting down heavily in one of the chairs and closing her eye, resting her hands on her round belly. "Won't they be offended if I regift their stuff?"

Alphys thought about it, going to the kitchen to start lunch. "Well," she considered. "I think, maybe? So instead, why don't we just wait until after she's born? Maybe they're right, and we'll actually need all that we're given."

Undyne sighed again, then made a face and winced. "Fuck off," she growled, but not to Alphys.

Alphys blinked, then smiled, moving away from the soup she'd put on in order to move to sit on the arm of the chair Undyne sat in.

Gently, she placed her hand over Undyne's stomach, and Undyne grabbed it and moved it, her eye still closed and her expression still sour. Alphys's eyes widened the moment her palm flattened over the right spot, and she grinned, going pink: she could feel kicking, and she felt a jittery burst in both her own stomach and her chest.

"Whiny brat," Undyne growled. "You'll get fed! Be patient!"

Alphys giggled. "Already so much like you."

Undyne opened her eye and glared at her, but Alphys laughed and leaned down, kissing Undyne's belly before kissing her lips. Then, she got back to her feet and went to the kitchen to finish lunch.

This was something Undyne really cherished, despite the glare. Alphys's support was endless. Even in the bitter beginning, when she was nothing but whiny and sick, Alphys never left her side, always mopping her sweaty brow and rubbing her back, even through the nights.

The only time Alphys was stern during that time was when Undyne would argue with her, despite knowing better. And even then, she'd always make sure that her gestures were far softer than her words.

For something sprung so suddenly on them both, Alphys was taking it so easily and so calmly that it was comforting - and soothing.

Not to mention the fact that during every single moment of support, Undyne would just look into her eyes and wonder silently why she was still there, how she could still love Undyne, especially when she got mean and bitchy and whiny...

"God, I love you," Undyne murmured, staring at Alphys from the chair.

Alphys jumped, turning back to her with a spoon in her hand, and she grinned, her face going red. "I-I..."

She set the spoon down and went back over to Undyne, then leaned down and hugged her tight, something Undyne returned with equal - if not increased - fervour.

"I love _you_ so much," Alphys whispered into her ear, and Undyne closed her eye, biting her lip and holding onto her, tighter. "You're doing so well, and you're so brave, and no matter what, you stand up to whatever comes," Alphys went on. "You make me feel so lucky - so _proud_ \- to be your wife and partner, Undyne. Always."

"Alphy..." Undyne murmured, choking a little on the single word, the name that meant so much to her.

She couldn't say anything after that, but she didn't need to; Alphys already knew.

* * *

Laurel made sure that they were protected, even when both Undyne and Alphys insisted that, with the number of monsters with them (a number that had increased to a hundred, surprisingly; sans joked it was because of Grillby and his supply of alcohol).

The more they town seemed to grow, the more at-ease its inhabitants seemed to become, relaxing more and more. With it came the sudden desire to brush up on combat and defence, something a majority of them never even really had to learn in their lifetimes.

This was something Undyne loved to see, and something she jumped into with great aplomb. It got to the point that there were daily group practice sessions in the town square, with Undyne, Asgore, and Alphys in the middle while the willing-and-able monsters surrounded them, eager to learn.

Alphys felt a little out of place, but Asgore and Undyne dove right into it, Asgore playing good cop to Undyne's bad, and in turn, it was almost as if they had a Royal Guard, again.

When Undyne brought this up with Laurel, she nodded, but also dismissed it. "I don't care, with all due respect," she replied calmly.

In moments like these, Undyne both loved and hated Laurel, as the human tended to be so easy with her words, despite knowing who she spoke to. Undyne surmised that was the price that came with true friendship - something the two certainly had by then.

 "Don't push your luck, human," Undyne growled. By this time, she was only two weeks away from her due date, and it was easy to piss her off.

By this time, the monsters they'd trained were doing so well that Undyne trusted them - as did Asgore, which meant even more to her - so she didn't understand why it wasn't enough for a human.

"Don't get hormonal," Laurel replied blandly, pissing her off further - especially when Laurel noticed and smirked. "Look, you can whine at me all you want, dear Empress, but the fact is that I don't trust my fellow humans, yet. You might, but I sure as hell don't."

Alphys leaned forward, her eyes sharp. "We've had threats. We've had threats and you never told us," she said, her voice terse.

Undyne jumped, looking to her wife, then to the Minister, then back to her wife. _"What?!"_

Laurel looked instantly guilty, and she grabbed her mug and took a quick gulp of tea to prevent herself from answering, her eyes averted and her cheeks red.

"Laurel," Undyne growled out between her teeth.

Laurel, in turn, glared at Alphys, who glared back. "Yes," she muttered.

"How many?!" Undyne snarled, sitting up as quick as she could, one arm around her belly.

"Look, Undyne, does it really matter? What matters is that you're protected--,"

 _"Laurel!"_ Undyne shouted, making both Alphys and Laurel wince.

Laurel sighed, clearly defeated. "There's been... ballpark... at least a dozen."

Undyne went bright red, her eye wide and flashing, her hand that was on the arm of the chair clenching so hard that her nails dug into the innocent fabric.

Alphys got to her feet quickly and grabbed that hand, holding it between her own, and Undyne instead dug her fingers into her hand, seeing red.

"Undyne," she heard Alphys say, "breathe. Breathe..."

"Why the _fuck_ didn't you tell us, Laurel?!" Undyne shouted, instead.

 _"That's_ why," Laurel said softly, her eyes on Undyne and her expression sombre. "Because you'd react just like that. And we handled every single one, without any issue. I would have told you the second it occurred otherwise. Don't you trust me by now?"

Undyne stared at her, for once speechless. She breathed quickly, and again Alphys reminded her to slow it down. She shut her eye and did, finding it difficult, but once she did, she felt somewhat calmer.

"I would never, _ever_ allow anyone to harm you, again, Undyne," Laurel went on, her expression so serious that the words cut through Undyne's panic. "You have no idea how much I regret that day you and Alphys were shot. But at the same time, I hate to make you feel bad, but, well, you're pregnant. I don't want to stress you. I want your kid to be safe, too."

Undyne sighed deeply, letting out that frustrating panic slowly, before she opened her eye again.

"Alright," she said finally, squeezing one of Alphys's hands.

She knew Laurel was right, and knew it was needless to not only panic herself, but her people, over threats that were easily dispatched.

But at the same time...

"However, you still need to tell me every time it happens, human. Otherwise, how are we supposed to have a working partnership?"

Laurel nodded, her eyes softening. "You're right."

"I _know_ I'm right," Undyne snarled. "Also? Fuck you for bringing my pregnancy into this."

Laurel winced but nodded again. "Yeah, sorry," she agreed. "I just... don't really know much about monster pregnancy and don't know what can or cannot set an early labour into motion."

"Take it from a monster doctor," Alphys broke in gently. "The more you keep from us, the easier it gets."

It was point that Laurel never, ever forgot.

* * *

Training Alphys along with Asgore was one of the most fun things Undyne had done in a very, very long time.

At first, Alphys was reluctant, looking slightly panicked that she was even in this situation in the first place.

They had found a clearly some ways from the camp, and usually from dusk to dark Alphys and Asgore would practise while Undyne watched and offered (well, shouted) advice.

The first few times had Alphys flinching away from Asgore, or curling up to hide, or - the worst - panicking and starting to run away.

Undyne realised quickly that it was because of Alphys's past, and with it that a direct approach probably wasn't going to help Alphys at the start. So she suggested to Asgore - who agreed - that they would simply tell Alphys they would begin with simple toning exercises, when in reality they were actually defence and offence moves.

This worked better, as there was no one attacking Alphys, and the slow movements eased her anxiety and made her feel better. They got harder and harder as they went on, and she would especially need help walking home once they were done, but she was getting stronger with each lesson, and Undyne beamed at her each time.

When they both agreed that she was ready, Asgore, in the middle of "stretching", suddenly moved towards Alphys and began to attack her - just using his hands, however, as she was nowhere near the level needed for magical combat, yet.

Alphys actually shrieked, but she backed up a few paces before she held her hands up and caught the swing of his arm between her crossed arms, stopping his blow before it could even hit her.

Asgore immediately backed off, and Alphys dropped to her knees, shaking, her hands covering her face.

"That was _rude!"_ she shouted, her voice muffled and wavering.

But both Undyne and Asgore were grinning at her, and it was then that the _real_ training began.

* * *

However, one night, a few days after that breakthrough, Undyne woke up in the middle of the night feeling terrible. She felt very sick, and her whole body was twitching; she was unable to get comfortable to no matter what the position.

She went to take an anti-nauseant that she hoped would also knock her out, but after, when she used the toilet, she was suddenly thrown into a shaky panic: her mucous plug had fallen out.

After two months of reading book after book and listening to lecture after lecture about childbirth, she knew exactly what that mean, and she hugged her middle, suddenly very afraid.

"Fuck," she whispered. "Fuck, fuck, _fuck._ I'm not ready... _I'm not ready..."_

The thing was, she should have known it was coming. She'd had signs of it, especially when she worked out (she still maintained a work-out schedule, though it was altered to accommodate), but this, she knew, was a sign she couldn't ignore.

Even though she _really_ wanted to.

It wasn't because she didn't want her daughter to come. It was, rather, when faced with it, she was still afraid that the world still wasn't safe enough for her, no matter how hard she tried. She wanted her daughter to be safe and happy, and she was scared that she would never be able to find that on the surface.

When she saw that plug, she felt all of those fears rise up in her, and she sat down on the bathroom floor, shaking and hugging her middle tight, as if to do so would keep her baby inside of her.

She must have made some kind of noise loud enough, because soon Alphys came in, looking tired but very worried. When she focused on Undyne, she went right to her side, any trace of fatigue gone in an instant, and she knelt down beside her, placing her hands on Undyne's shoulders tight.

"What's happened?" she asked gently, searching Undyne's panicked gaze. _"Undyne!"_ She shook her a little, and Undyne finally focused on her. "What's wrong?!"

"Uh," Undyne murmured, still looking shocked. "I... I-I'm..."

Her eye flared suddenly, and she winced, reaching up and grabbing Alphys's shoulders, gritting her teeth.

 _"Fuck!"_ she answered, her eye squeezing shut.

She started breathing quickly, feeling a wave of pain go through her, and it was _horrible._ She felt as if it would never end, that she was trapped in it, that it was her entire life, now...

Then, just as soon as it started, it stopped, and she gasped, leaning forward and resting her head on one of Alphys's shoulders atop of her own hand, trying to catch her breath.

Alphys pulled her closer and wrapped her arms around her, reaching up to stroke her hair slowly, her eyes wide, now.

"You're in labour," she whispered.

Undyne nodded slowly.

"Okay, sweetie. I need you to slow down your breathing, okay?"

Undyne repeated the gesture, her nails digging into Alphys's shoulders hard.

When her breaths were slow enough, Alphys added, "Now grab onto me and we'll get you to your feet and back into bed, okay?"

Undyne hesitated, then did so.

The moment Undyne was lying back down comfortably, Alphys grabbed her phone and started making calls.

By the time Undyne was having her second contraction, Alphys had finished and was holding her through it, calming her down and kissing her cheek until it was over.

"You can do this," Alphys whispered into her ear. "Because you're the strongest person I know."

Undyne bit her lip, wanting to correct that, to tell her that Alphys was the one who was the strongest, but she was still too shaky to do so. Instead, she just clung onto her tighter.

* * *

 From there, it was a blur.

Undyne had been in pain before - the day the human almost killed her came to mind - but all of that seemed laughable when it came to the birth of her daughter.

She screamed. A lot. And probably would have been embarrassed by that if she hadn't been surrounded by people she considered her family, people she knew would look upon her weakness and would, instead of exploiting it, lend her their own strength to get her through it.

It took _hours_ , and by the end, she was begging Alphys to just "cut the damned brat out of me and be done with it".

Alphys, however, simply held her close and calmed her down as best as she could, and she knew she would never, ever forget that.

Nor would she ever forget what she heard shortly after that: the first sounds of their child.

She _screamed,_ almost as loud as Undyne had, and when Alphys caught her, she started laughing, the sound drowned out by those cries.

Undyne reached out, her hands grasping, and Alphys grabbed the blanket that Laurel handed to her and wrapped their daughter up, then walked back to her side, crying now, too, but with a huge grin. She carefully placed the bundle in Undyne's arms.

Undyne choked out a sob, holding it close and pressing her forehead to her daughter's, not even caring that she was still a little messy.

The moment Undyne did that, the cries died down, then lowered to confused - then calming - mewling. Undyne stared into her daughter's face and took her in, feeling Alphys's arms go around her, her chin resting on Undyne's shoulder, as she did.

Her first impression was that she was... different.

Though she looked normal, there was something very different about her.

Not bad, just... odd.

Undyne blinked at her, and she blinked back, those eyes a great deal like Alphys's, which made her laugh a little. She had hair, just as red as her own, and was covered in tough, scaled skin. She looked a great deal like Undyne, it was true, but there were varying difference, like her eyes. But she also had a rather flat little nose, and her hands and feet ended in claws. She also had a short tail, and her skin, though mostly blue, had a faint green glint to it that was so clearly from Alphys.

"Hello," Undyne whispered, and Alphys hugged onto her tighter. "Hello, Pyri."

 _This_ moment, this single moment, was the happiest moment in Undyne's life.

It was also the same for Alphys, who was crying quite openly, despite smiling so hard it hurt.

And she, too, could tell that Pyri was different. There was no questioning that.

In time, they would soon understand how and why, and they would, along with it, come to face the greatest challenge of their combined lives.

But that, of course, is another story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my cat, this was a long one. I just checked its stats and it's far longer than The Undying Empress. Oops. If you stuck it out this far, thank you SO MUCH, I LOVE YOU, and you are my PANCAKE.
> 
> Now, onto more pressing things.
> 
> With the end of this story comes the answer to the obvious question of, Will there be a third one? Some of you already know, but YES, there will be a third one. This will be a trilogy. 
> 
> HOWEVER.
> 
> I am taking a brief break from this AU to work on another one (Nestegg) for a little bit (or for however long the muse leaves me alone). So don't expect the third story to start tomorrow. I have some plans for it already, with the help of Khalliys, SprFlameWind, eeveergreen, AerisHikari, AlphyneHuggingAnon, Embersfire93 and The-Fox333 (the usual suspects), but right now I haven't started it yet, and like its predecessors, will likely not have an outline. 
> 
> I hope to see you all then!
> 
> And thank you to the aforementioned, as well as Glavenus, AngelJoyce, SassyDragon, and rptlotp for always leaving comments and encouraging me to keep writing. Every word means a great deal to me.
> 
> OKAY SEE YOU LATER.


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